Absolutely Brilliant
"This was my first time using polysorbate 20. I used it to solubilise my essential oil in my formula for a spray detangler. I used polysorbate 20 : essential oil as 3:1. Worked perfectly. Would buy again. Thank you Aromantic."
SKU: 74065
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifier
Solubiliser
Non-ionic
Biodegradable
£3.99 GBP
£3.99
/
100ml
Effortlessly solubilises essential oils into water.
Creates stable oil‑in‑water emulsions for lotions.
Mild, low‑foaming surfactant for delicate formulations.
Biodegradable, vegan and cruelty‑free ingredient.
Ideal for formulators of sprays, lotions and mists.
Polysorbate 20
£3.99 GBP
£3.99
/
100ml
Minimum Shelf life:
Worldwide Shipping
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Established since 1997
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Everything You Need To Know
Product Benefits
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Disperses essential oils into water-based formulations
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Creates oil-in-water emulsions for lotions, sprays and serums
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Mild surfactant for sensitive skin products
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Biodegradable and eco-friendly
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Vegan and cruelty-free
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Compatible with multiple surfactants (anionic, cationic, amphoteric)
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Reduces irritation and allergic reaction for sensitive skin types
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Stabilises emulsions and texture
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Facial cleansers with low foaming needs, minimises skin irritation
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Soluble in water and alcohol
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Palm, corn and wheat derived, non-GMO sources
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Flexible usage in skincare, haircare and perfumery products
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Wetting agent, blends oil and water ingredients
Product Description
Polysorbate 20 is a must have liquid in modern formulations. As a non-ionic surfactant it blends essential oils into water, creates emulsions without alcohol. Understanding the chemistry of Polysorbate 20 is important as it’s a common emulsifier in many skincare products.
Its mildness allows you to soften the harshness of stronger surfactants, create products that feel gentle on the skin. It also reduces foam making it perfect for facial cleansers, micellar waters and other skincare products where minimal foaming is required. Repeated use of Polysorbate 20 especially for sensitive skin types can cause skin irritation.
Whether you’re making a luxurious facial mist, a hydrating body lotion or a hair conditioner with essential oils, Polysorbate 20 is the key to a smooth, stable and professional product.
Key Features of Polysorbate 20
Essential Oil Solubiliser
Polysorbate 20 allows you to combine essential oils easily into water-based products, it’s a favourite for perfume sprays, facial toners and micellar cleansers.
It’s highly effective in blending essential or fragrance oil into various formulations. Also it’s an essential ingredient in room spray formulations to ensure even distribution of scent.
Gentle Skincare
Its non-ionic nature minimises irritation, perfect for delicate facial cleansers, baby care products and sensitive skin formulas. Polysorbate 20 also has soothing properties that makes it good for sensitive skin formulas.
Safety Considerations
Polysorbate 20 is considered a low hazard ingredient in cosmetic products but can cause skin irritation or allergic reaction in some individuals. Use Polysorbate 20 in moderate amounts and follow recommended concentration guidelines to minimise skin irritation. High concentration of Polysorbate 20 can cause irritation so always do a patch test when introducing new products with this ingredient.
How to Use
Skin Care
- It is moisturising for the skin when used at the lower percentages.
- At 10%, it starts to feel sticky on the skin. It is soothing to irritated skin and is an excellent lubricant which is ideal for shaving oils.
- Excellent as a soft emulsifier for cleansing gels and makeup removers for sensitive skin.
- A good solubiliser and stabiliser for essential oils so they can be used in facial toners, water based air fresheners, body sprays and alcohol free deodorants. Improves the glide and softens the skin.
- Helps cleaners to rinse off the face more easily. Use to solubilise essential oils and fragrance oils in perfumes. Depending on the blend used, the finished spray may be cloudy.
- As a co-emulsifier, it is best used to emulsify very light oils such as those used to enhance body wraps.
Hair Care
- Can be used as a soft emulsifier for children's shampoos to give soft conditioning and moisturisation to the scalp.
Other
- Use 2% to 10% as a stabiliser or co-emulsifier when combined with Cetearyl Alcohol.
- Use at a ratio of 1:1 when solubilising light essential oils for use in a water based spray. If your essential oils are heavier eg Vetiver, Patchouli etc use more Polysorbate 20 and leave the mixture to sit for longer while it solubilises. The amount needed will vary so try increasing it 1% at a time until you find the best amount for your blend.
- Soluble in water, oil and alcohol.
- Polysorbate 20 is not suitable for use with Preservative Eco as it can deactivate benzoic acid, sorbic acid and benzyl alcohol.
- Use at room temperature.
- Note that it can change the viscosity of emulsions and make creams or lotions thinner. There are times when this can be an advantage.
INCI / Ingredients
INCI Name: Polysorbate 20
Origin: Palm, corn and wheat derived but chemically processed and classed as synthetic.
Appearance: Viscous liquid, clear to yellow, faint characteristic odour.
Solubility: Soluble in water and alcohol.
Compatible: With anionic, cationic and amphoteric surfactants.
Previously sold under the name: Emulsifan.
Regulatory Status
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel has evaluated Polysorbate 20 and deemed it safe for use in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating.
Formulation Tips
When formulating products with Polysorbate 20 it’s important to consider its HLB value and choose other ingredients that are compatible with it. As a nonionic surfactant Polysorbate 20 can be combined with other surfactants to create a stable and effective emulsifier. Typically used at 1-5% depending on the application. Also be aware of the ethoxylation process and the potential for contamination with 1,4-dioxane, a known carcinogen. Always aim for a balanced formulation to ensure both efficacy and safety.
Storage & Shelf Life
Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.
The expiration date is printed on the packaging.
Ensure lids are tightly sealed after each use to preserve product quality.
Why Buy from Aromantic?
When you shop with Aromantic you receive high quality, ethically sourced ingredients for personal care formulators and DIY crafters.
We offer:
Fast, worldwide shipping
Carefully sourced raw materials
Vegan-friendly and cruelty-free options
Expertly packaged products for safe delivery
Dedicated customer support to help you along the way
At Aromantic we empower you to create effective, beautiful, sustainable products without relying on expert endorsements, just quality ingredients and trusted service.
FAQs
What is the HLB value of Polysorbate 20?
Polysorbate 20 has an HLB (Hydrophilic-Lipophilic Balance) value of 16.7; it’s great for oil-in-water emulsions.
Can I use Polysorbate 20 with all essential oils?
Yes, it’s compatible with most essential oils. However, some heavier oils might require a bit more Polysorbate 20 for clear solutions.
Does Polysorbate 20 affect foam in surfactant formulations?
Yes, it tends to reduce foam, which can be good in products like facial cleansers where too much foam is undesirable.
Is Polysorbate 20 natural?
Polysorbate 20 is plant-derived but chemically processed through ethoxylation, so it’s classified as synthetic rather than purely natural. This makes it a functional emulsifier that’s still based on natural sources.
How is Polysorbate 20 different from Polysorbate 80?
Polysorbate 20 is better for dispersing essential oils and light fragrance oils, while Polysorbate 80 is for heavier oils like carrier oils.
Can Polysorbate 20 be used in food products?
Our Polysorbate 20 is for cosmetic use only and not for food applications.
Is Polysorbate 20 vegan and cruelty-free?
Yes! Our Polysorbate 20 is vegan and never tested on animals.
What is the SAP value of Polysorbate 20?
It has a SAP (Saponification) value between 40–50.
Combine with any of the oil based CO2 Extracts to make them usable in a facial toner.
Click on the links below to be directed to great recipes featuring Polysorbate 20:
Oat So Soothing After Shave Gelée
Room Spray
Here is a link to all non-batch-specific documents for this product: Link to Technical Documents
If you have any questions about the documents or need the Certificate of Analysis (COA) for a product that you have received, please request that here.
Related Products / Pair with
EcoSilk MB (Isoamyl Laurate) – Add silkiness and sensory feel to your formulations.
Vegetable Glycerin – Natural humectant for moisturising skin and hair products.
Rose Hydrolat (Rose Water) – Beautiful floral water base for sprays and toners.
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Why Choose Aromantic
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Ethical Sourcing
Ingredients chosen for performance, ethical origin, and reliability.
Broad or trend-driven sourcing without formulation focus.
Knowledge Sharing
Detailed, reliable ingredient information to help you formulate with confidence.
Often minimal detail or unclear data about ingredient properties or usage.
Reliable Value
Professional-grade natural ingredients, tested and documented so you know what to expect from each batch.
Documentation and testing data are often minimal or difficult to access.
Product Guidance
Honest, detailed information that helps you select ingredients with confidence.
Limited usage information makes ingredient selection harder.
Versatility
Serves both home and professional formulators with a polished, information-rich experience.
Cater to a wide audience but with simpler websites offering less detailed guidance.
Ingredients Selection
Carefully curated range covering every key category in natural formulation.
Sell many raw materials but without formulation context.
Company Transparency
Family-run business built on honesty, openness, and ingredient transparency.
Transparency varies depending on supplier or distributor.
Customer Focus
We listen, adapt, and build long-term relationships with our customers.
Limited expertise available beyond order fulfilment.
Overall rating: 5.0 / 5 from 7 reviews.
AI Generated Review Summary
Summary topics
Review topics: ["service","oil"].
Review highlights
Reviews
Polysorbate 20
"Perfect for blending our Essential and oils. Beautiful and clear with Aqua added."
Great
"Great for mixing essential oils to create room sprays."
Easy to use
"Excellent solubiliser & very easy to use. But I hope Aromantic in the future will also stock a Natural Solubiliser as this is synthetic."
polysorbate
"Easy to use. I use it in my room spray formula . I am pleased that this does the job rather than using an alcohol base."
excelent
"all is fine i love all the products service is fantastic, never a problem o amistake always fine"
Excellent product
"Excellent product. Quick delivery, responsible packing. Will be using again . . Thankyou"
Q&A
- Hi there Would this be suitable as an emulsifier in a blend of distilled water, witch hazel & essential oils? I’m looking to make a cooling spray. Many thanks
- Thank you for your enquiry. Yes, Polysorbate 20 is an effective and simple way to disperse essential oils into water.
- Is this emulsifier non comedogenic? Thank you
- Thank you for your enquiry. Emulsifan is considered not to be comedogenic. If used alone Emulsifan is technically a solubiliser rather than an emulsifier. In order to create an emulsion it needs to be used alongside another emulsifier, as part of the HLB system. Emulsifan is considered to be a high HLB ingredient, having a value of 16.7 and would need to be combined with a low HLB ingredient to function as an emulsifier. The HLB system is rather outdated these days as most emulsifiers aren't reliant on it in order to function well. It was created when emulsifiers were, by and large, synthetic but modern natural emulsifiers are generally designed not to need co emulsifiers so aren't as reliant on the HLB system.
- Hi there, would be emulsifan best to incorporate essential oil and preservative in to the water based face cleanser?
- Thank you for your enquiry. Yes, Emulsifan would be well suited to this purpose. Take a look at our recipes using this product in water based toners e.t.c for further inspiration, https://aromantic.co.uk/blogs/recipes/tagged/emulsifan
- Hi can emulisifan be used to add essential oils to the bath
- Technically, yes it can, provided the combination of Emulsifan and essential oils has fully solubilised and this is for personal use only. To ensure the essential oils are fully solubilised you could increase the percentage of Emulsifan as this will not feel sticky as you would be adding the combination to a bath full of water rather than a small amount of a product like a toner. Heavier essential oils such as Vetiver and Patchouli usually need a higher amount of Emulsifan to solubilse so increasing the percentage of Emulsifan would be of benefit and any lighter essential oils in your blend will solubilise without any difficulty. Do remember to stick to usage guidelines for your chosen essential oils for safety.
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Trading Address:
Aromantic Ltd, 15 Greshop Road, Forres, IV36 2GU, United Kingdom
Phone Number: +44(0)1309 696900
Email: info@aromantic.co.uk
Company Number: SC299277
VAT: GB683087901