Ever wondered what PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil is?
It’s in all your skincare products (or so it seems). And it must have something to do with castor oil, right?
But what does it do exactly and, more importantly, is it safe? Here’s what science says:
What Is PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil?
You’ve probably guessed it from the name. PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil is derived from… well, castor oil.
What does it look like? It’s a white, lard-like paste.
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What Does PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil Do In Skincare Products?
PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil has three jobs in skincare products:
- Surfactant: That’s a fancy way of calling a cleansing agent. It helps water mix with oil and dirt so that they can be rinsed away, leaving skin and hair both clean and soft.
- Emulsifier: It allows the watery and oily parts of a formula to mix together, preventing the texture from separating into two layers.
- Solubizing agent: It helps other ingredients to dissolve in a solvent in which they wouldn’t normally dissolve. For example, it’s used to add fragrances (which typically dissolve in oils) into water-based products.
What Are The Best Skincare Products With PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil?
- Cosrx Low pH First Cleansing Milk Gel ($19.00): Available at Dermstore
- La Roche Posay Lipikar Oil Ap+ (£10.50): Available at Escentual and Feel Unique
- Mizon Hyaluronic Acid 100 (£23.03): Available at Feel Unique and Yes Style
Is PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil Safe In Skincare Products?
PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil is usually used in concentrations between 0,5% and 10%. In these small amounts, it’s considered to be safe.
The Bottom Line
PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil is a gentle cleansing agent that also make sure your products don’t separate in the bottle. It’s both effective and safe.
I see this one a lot. I didn’t know it’s a white paste though, and I can definitely remember this one. :]
I learn something useful everyday from you!
Janessa, it’s widely used indeed. And I’m glad you do. 🙂
Happy first day of December, Gio! Even though it’s the 2nd where you are, it’s still the 1st where I am so well, happy beginning of December!
Janessa, thank you! Happy beginning of December to you too! 🙂
Thanks for sharing! I see Hydrogenated Castor Oil everywhere and I thought it was supposed to be hydrating, not cleansing. I’m a tiny bit smarter thanks to you 🙂
Regn, you’re welcome. I’m glad you’ve found it informative.
Just few days back I was wondering about PEG 40 hydrogenated castor oil. I’ve read that word loads of times in my serums and other skin care products, but was not aware about its work. But this PEG 60 one, is it found in shampoos or facial cleansers?
Shruti, it can be found in facial cleansers and shampoos too.
I’ve also written a post about PEG 40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil. You can read it here, if you’re interested: http://beautifulwithbrains.com/2012/08/04/know-your-ingredients-peg-40-hydrogenated-castor-oil/ 🙂
Yes, I already read that before posting my last comment. 🙂 That’s how I came to know about their difference. Earlier I never used to read ingredients. But, now whenever I read something new on my products, I came here to check about it. In ingredients series, your post about Acetone has been THE most helpful information for me. Really.. now I have just stopped worrying about acetone and non-acetone stuff. 😉
Shruti, I’m so glad you find this series helpful. It makes all my hard work worthwhile. 🙂
Thanks for enlightening us. I would like to know what does peg/ ppg 17/6 do in skin as well? Since I found it on a skin cream.
Queenie, you’re welcome. And that’s an emollient. It makes skin soft and smooth.
Does it have side effects? Since peg and ppg thingers are not quute good I heard.
Queenie, it is safe, although potentially every ingredient, this one included, could cause an allergy or irritation in some individuals.
PEGs aren’t as dangerous as they are claimed to be, though. Check out this link for more information: http://www.truthinaging.com/review/what-is-it-pegs
Very good article. Thanks Gio. I wanna know if pegs ppgs can make me get more wrinkles. Sometimes we use skincare products that promise us to reduce our wrinkles. They DO contain good ingredients but they do not really seem to be effective as they said cos they use mineral oils or peg ppg compounds in their products, so its like curing on onebhand but also defective on the other hand.
Frankly, I’ve never heard of pegs or ppgs causing wrinkles. And neither does mineral oil. Some people don’t like it because it creates a barrier on the skin rather than sinking into it, but that’s not necessarily bad for you. If you have dry skin, this barrier will prevent water from evaporating, and helping to keep skin hydrated. But yeah, it’s not as beneficial as retinoids or vitamins, which can do wonders for the skin.
very informative, one more thing I wanted to know, Does this ingredient stimulate facial hair growth?
Farhana, no it doesn’t.
what if we use more than 0.5% or 10%? is there any side effect? makes the skin dry perhaps?
Ira, you can use up to 10% safely, but after that it may be irritating. More is rarely better in skincare.
What is the effect of PEG-60 HYDROGENATED CASTOR OIL on acre-prone skin types? Does it cause more acne?
Joveylove, this ingredient isn’t considered comedogenic. Having said that, everyone’s skin is different. If you find your skin doesn’t like it, don’t use it.