Snapshot
- Overview
- Helps cleansers and lotions blend evenly for a light, clean feel.
- Category
- Emulsifying, Cleansing
- Type
- Emulsifier
Oleth-3 Phosphate
This is a phosphate ester of Oleth-3 that acts as a pH-responsive, water-dispersible surfactant, used in emulsions and cleansers for charge-based stabilization, wetting, and better compatibility with cationic or amphoteric co-surfactants.
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Our take
Is Oleth-3 Phosphate a Good Ingredient?
Rated Good as a versatile pH-responsive emulsifier and surfactant that helps create stable, light textures, with generally acceptable mildness when properly formulated. Its clinical skin benefits beyond formulation performance are limited, which keeps it from a higher score.
What it does
Skin Benefits
Promotes even-spreading, lighter-feeling products that cleanse effectively. Helps maintain formula consistency for a smooth application experience.
Where you'll find it
Uses in Skincare & Cosmetics
Used in facial cleansers, gel-creams, and lotions to help form stable oil-in-water textures. Also found in makeup-removing milks where a balanced cleanse and glide are desired.
Before you use it
Safety
Usually well tolerated in rinse-off or well-buffered systems, though its anionic, pH-dependent nature can cause stinging on compromised skin or at unfavorable pH. No specific major regulatory restrictions are known for typical cosmetic use.
Products with Oleth-3 Phosphate
