Back to Ingredient Dictionary

Common Name(s): Acetylated glycol stearate,glyceryl/glycol ester or ether,emollient emulsifier

CAS Number: N/a

DESCRIPTION

What It Does: Provides emollient skin conditioning, mild emulsification, and moisture retention from the glyceryl ester or ether structure.

Why It's Used: Glycerol esters and ethers provide versatile multi-functional emolliency and emulsification โ€” the glycerol backbone's multiple oh groups enable diverse esterification and etherification for formulation-specific performance.

How It Works: Glycerol ester/ether: glycerol backbone provides hydrophilicity; fatty acid ester or alkyl ether chains provide lipophilicity. the balance determines hlb and function โ€” mono-esters provide emolliency and co-emulsification; di/tri-esters provide pure emolliency.

Typically Found In: Emulsions,skin care

TECHNICAL DETAILS

Primary Category: Functional ingredient โ€“ emollient

Secondary Functions: Barrier sealing,softening

Application Areas:

Facial Skincare

Body Care

Hair Care

Beard Care

Color Cosmetics (Makeup)

Dietary/Oral Supplements

Typical Concentration Range: 0.5%โ€“10%

SOURCING & ETHICS

Vegan Status: Conditional

Halal Status: Yes

Source Notes: Plant-derived, synthetic or animal-derived. verify source.

SKIN COMPATIBILITY

Irritancy Rating: 1/5 โ€“ very low

Comedogenicity Rating: 1/5 โ€“ low; formulation-dependent

Sensitivity Concerns: Non-irritating.

Safe for Sensitive Skin: Yes

SAFETY & COMPATIBILITY

Safety Profile: Excellent safety profile. ewg score: 1.

Works Well With: Humectants,ceramides,actives as carrier

Avoid Combining With: No significant incompatibilities

SCIENTIFIC NOTE

Glycerol derivative functionality depends on degree of esterification/etherification and fatty acid chain length โ€” formulators consult supplier technical data sheets for specific hlb, spreading value, and sensory profile data.

Last Verified: Cosing database,acetylated glycol stearate glyceryl derivative review

Primary Sources: 2026-03-12