Products with Polysorbate 20
Polysorbate 20 is a mild solubiliser that lets oils, fragrances and oil-loving actives dissolve cleanly into a water-based formula.
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Getting oil to disappear into water
Some ingredients simply refuse to mix. Polysorbate 20 surrounds those oily droplets and disperses them so finely that the result looks and feels like a clear liquid, no shaking required. That makes it essential in toners, essences and thin serums where a cloudy or separated product would read as spoiled.
Retinol formulas use it often, since retinol itself is oil-soluble: see Revision Skincare Retinol Complete 1.0 and Retinol Complete 0.5. It also turns up in HA HydraSerum+, SkinCeuticals A.G.E. Advanced Eye and SkinBetter Science AlphaRet Overnight Cream.
Is polysorbate 20 a harsh surfactant?
No. It is a non-ionic surfactant, the gentlest class, and it is used here as a solubiliser rather than a cleansing agent. It does not strip the skin the way sulfate detergents can.
How to shop at ELLEMES
As an authorized retailer, we can tell you how a given retinol strength tends to behave and help you start at the right one.
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