beauty
cleaning
food
industrial

Polyoxyl 20 cetostearyl ether

CAS 8049-57-8

Also registered as 34 other CAS numbers

12656-10-9 · 12772-71-3 · 12790-63-5 · 37337-62-5 · 39384-37-7 · 39384-38-8 · 39404-34-7 · 39404-35-8 · 51877-40-8 · 52732-71-5 · 54578-85-7 · 54824-28-1 · 55464-98-7 · 59494-36-9 · 60328-40-7 · 62887-14-3 · 62887-15-4 · 62887-16-5 · 62887-17-6 · 64060-02-2 · 64296-31-7 · 64425-87-2 · 68188-13-6 · 85941-45-3 · 102381-15-7 · 251474-93-8 · 306966-46-1 · 307965-48-6 · 678155-06-1 · 917245-08-0 · 1009306-51-7 · 1243361-00-3 · 1393444-24-0 · 68439-49-6

Concern score

Not assessed — no hazard data yet.

Polyoxyl 20 cetostearyl ether in plain language

What it is: On cosmetic ingredient lists it appears as “CETEARETH-10”.
Also known as CETEARETH-10 · CETEARETH-100 · CETEARETH-11 · CETEARETH-12 · CETEARETH-13 · CETEARETH-14
Show all 154 names
CETEARETH-15 · CETEARETH-16 · CETEARETH-17 · CETEARETH-18 · CETEARETH-2 · CETEARETH-20 · CETEARETH-22 · CETEARETH-23 · CETEARETH-24 · CETEARETH-25 · CETEARETH-27 · CETEARETH-28 · CETEARETH-29 · CETEARETH-3 · CETEARETH-30 · CETEARETH-33 · CETEARETH-34 · CETEARETH-4 · CETEARETH-40 · CETEARETH-5 · CETEARETH-50 · CETEARETH-55 · CETEARETH-6 · CETEARETH-60 · CETEARETH-7 · CETEARETH-8 · CETEARETH-80 · CETEARETH-9 · Ceteareth 20 · Ceteareth 6 · CETEARYL-20 · Ethoxylated C16-18 alcohols · Macrogol 25 cetostearyl ether · Macrogol 6 cetostearyl ether · Macrogol cetostearyl ether 12 · PEG-10 cetyl/stearyl ether · PEG-100 cetyl/stearyl ether · PEG-11 cetyl/stearyl ether · PEG-12 cetyl/stearyl ether · PEG-15 cetyl/stearyl ether · PEG-16 cetyl/stearyl ether · PEG-17 cetyl/stearyl ether · PEG-20 cetyl/stearyl ether · PEG-22 cetyl/stearyl ether · PEG-23 cetyl/stearyl ether · PEG-25 cetyl/stearyl ether · PEG-3 cetyl/stearyl ether · PEG-30 cetyl/stearyl ether · PEG-33 cetyl/stearyl ether · PEG-4 cetyl/stearyl ether · PEG-40 cetyl/stearyl ether · PEG-5 cetyl/stearyl ether · PEG-6 cetyl/stearyl ether · PEG-60 cetyl/stearyl ether · PEG-7 cetyl/stearyl ether · PEG-8 cetyl/stearyl ether · PEG-80 cetyl/stearyl ether · Peregal O-20 · Polyethylene glycol (11) cetyl/stearyl ether · Polyethylene glycol (17) cetyl/stearyl ether · Polyethylene glycol (22) cetyl/stearyl ether · Polyethylene glycol (23) cetyl/stearyl ether · Polyethylene glycol (25) cetyl/stearyl ether · Polyethylene glycol (3) cetyl/stearyl ether · Polyethylene glycol (33) cetyl/stearyl ether · Polyethylene glycol (5) cetyl/stearyl ether · Polyethylene glycol (7) cetyl/stearyl ether · Polyethylene glycol (80) cetyl/stearyl ether · Polyethylene glycol 100 cetyl/stearyl ether · Polyethylene glycol 12 cetostearyl ether · Polyethylene glycol 200 cetyl/stearyl ether · Polyethylene glycol 2000 cetyl/stearyl ether · Polyethylene glycol 300 cetyl/stearyl ether · Polyethylene glycol 3000 cetyl/stearyl ether · Polyethylene glycol 400 cetyl/stearyl ether · Polyethylene glycol 500 cetyl/stearyl ether · Polyoxyethylene (10) cetyl/stearyl ether · Polyoxyethylene (100) cetyl/stearyl ether · Polyoxyethylene (11) cetyl/stearyl ether · Polyoxyethylene (17) cetyl/stearyl ether · Polyoxyethylene (22) cetyl/stearyl ether · Polyoxyethylene (23) cetyl/stearyl ether · Polyoxyethylene (25) cetyl/stearyl ether · Polyoxyethylene (3) cetyl/stearyl ether · Polyoxyethylene (33) cetyl/stearyl ether · Polyoxyethylene (4) cetyl/stearyl ether · Polyoxyethylene (40) cetyl/stearyl ether · Polyoxyethylene (5) cetyl/stearyl ether · Polyoxyethylene (60) cetyl/stearyl ether · Polyoxyethylene (7) cetyl/stearyl ether · Polyoxyethylene (8) cetyl/stearyl ether · Polyoxyethylene (80) cetyl/stearyl ether · (C16-C18) Alkyl alcohol ethoxylate · (C16-C18) Fatty alcohol, ethylene oxide reaction product · Aec CETEARETH-10 · Alcohols, C16-18, ethoxylated · Alcools en C16-18 ethoxyles · Alfonic 1618-46 · Alfonic 1618-60 · Alfonic 1618-62 · Alfonic 1618-78 · Brij CS25 · Brij CS6 · Empilan KM11 · Empilan KM25/FK · Empilan KM50/FK · Emuldac as 25 · Emulpharma bp · Ethal 368 · Ethal CSA-25 · Eumulgin b 25 · Findet 1618 A/35-P · Genapol t 250 p · Genapol t 500 p · Genapol t 800 · Genapol t 800 p · Hetoxol CS-25 · Hetoxol CS-3 · Hetoxol CS-50 · Hostacerin T3 · +28 more
What it does: Used in cosmetics as an emulsifier, a cleansing agent and a thickener.
Emulsifying
Cleansing
Viscosity controlling
Emulsifier
Surfactant
Thickener
Is it a concern?: We haven't assessed a concern score for this ingredient yet. It is listed for cosmetic use in the EU.

Regulation

No restrictions found. Polyoxyl 20 cetostearyl ether appears in these published regulatory listings.

Inactive ingredient in US drugs

Recorded in these product areas

Found in consumer products
Beauty
Cleaning
Pharma
Food
Industrial

EUCosIngActive34 entries
- C16-18 alcohols, ethoxylated (16 mol EO average molar ratio)Source →
- C16-18 alcohols, ethoxylated (17 mol EO average molar ratio)Source →
- C16-18 alcohols, ethoxylated (18 mol EO average molar ratio)Source →
- C16-18 alcohols, ethoxylated (2 mol EO average molar ratio)Source →
- C16-18 alcohols, ethoxylated (20 mol EO average molar ratio)Source →
- C16-18 alcohols, ethoxylated (22 mol EO average molar ratio)Source →
- C16-18 alcohols, ethoxylated (23 mol EO average molar ratio)Source →
- C16-18 alcohols, ethoxylated (24 mol EO average molar ratio)Source →
- C16-18 alcohols, ethoxylated (25 mol EO average molar ratio)Source →
- C16-18 alcohols, ethoxylated (27 mol EO average molar ratio)Source →
- C16-18 alcohols, ethoxylated (28 mol EO average molar ratio)Source →
- C16-18 alcohols, ethoxylated (29 mol EO average molar ratio)Source →
- C16-18 alcohols, ethoxylated (3 mol EO average molar ratio)Source →
- C16-18 alcohols, ethoxylated (30 mol EO average molar ratio)Source →
- C16-18 alcohols, ethoxylated (33 mol EO average molar ratio)Source →
- C16-18 alcohols, ethoxylated (34 mol EO average molar ratio)Source →
- C16-18 alcohols, ethoxylated (4 mol EO average molar ratio)Source →
- C16-18 alcohols, ethoxylated (40 mol EO average molar ratio)Source →
- C16-18 alcohols, ethoxylated (5 mol EO average molar ratio)Source →
- C16-18 alcohols, ethoxylated (50 mol EO average molar ratio)Source →
- C16-18 alcohols, ethoxylated (55 mol EO average molar ratio)Source →
- C16-18 alcohols, ethoxylated (6 mol EO average molar ratio)Source →
- C16-18 alcohols, ethoxylated (60 mol EO average molar ratio)Source →
- C16-18 alcohols, ethoxylated (7 mol EO average molar ratio)Source →
- C16-18 alcohols, ethoxylated (8 mol EO average molar ratio)Source →
- C16-18 alcohols, ethoxylated (80 mol EO average molar ratio)Source →
- C16-18 alcohols, ethoxylated (9 mol EO average molar ratio)Source →
- C16-18 alcohols, ethoxylated (10 mol EO average molar ratio)Source →
- C16-18 alcohols, ethoxylated (100 mol EO average molar ratio)Source →
- C16-18 alcohols, ethoxylated (11 mol EO average molar ratio)Source →
- C16-18 alcohols, ethoxylated (12 mol EO average molar ratio)Source →
- C16-18 alcohols, ethoxylated (13 mol EO average molar ratio)Source →
- C16-18 alcohols, ethoxylated (14 mol EO average molar ratio)Source →
- C16-18 alcohols, ethoxylated (15 mol EO average molar ratio)Source →
USFDAinactive ingredient database13 entries — 2 administration routes
- Route: TOPICAL; Dosage form: AEROSOL, FOAM; Maximum daily exposure: 200 mgSource →
- Route: TOPICAL; Dosage form: CREAM; Potency: 5 %w/wSource →
- Route: TOPICAL; Dosage form: CREAM; Maximum daily exposure: 20 mgSource →
- Route: TOPICAL; Dosage form: CREAM; Potency: 3 %w/wSource →
- Route: TOPICAL; Dosage form: CREAM, AUGMENTED; Potency: 1 %w/wSource →
- Route: TOPICAL; Dosage form: LOTION; Potency: 2.3 %w/wSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: SUSPENSION; Maximum daily exposure: 20 mgSource →
- Route: TOPICAL; Dosage form: AEROSOL; Potency: 5.5 %w/wSource →
- Route: TOPICAL; Dosage form: AEROSOL, FOAM; Maximum daily exposure: 374 mgSource →
- Route: TOPICAL; Dosage form: CREAM; Maximum daily exposure: 180 mgSource →
- Route: TOPICAL; Dosage form: GEL; Potency: 2 %w/wSource →
- Route: TOPICAL; Dosage form: LOTION; Maximum daily exposure: 71 mgSource →
- Route: TOPICAL; Dosage form: SPRAY; Potency: 2.42 %w/wSource →
USEPAcommercial use observedEPA CPDat observed this chemical in 2590 composition records across product categories including Furniture and furnishings, Cleaning and safety, Specialty occupational products. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including Surfactant (surface active agent), Emulsifier, Stabilizing agent.
- EPA CPDat observed this chemical in 2590 composition records across product categories including Furniture and furnishings, Cleaning and safety, Specialty occupational products. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including Surfactant (surface active agent), Emulsifier, Stabilizing agent.Source →
USFDAlisted in openFDA substanceopenFDA substance registry classifies this ingredient as mixture.
- openFDA substance registry classifies this ingredient as mixture.Source →

Expert safety opinions

No expert opinion on file for Polyoxyl 20 cetostearyl ether. These are the independent scientific bodies that assess ingredients like this one; we show an opinion only when a record we hold cites it.

SCCS
EU Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety
No SCCS opinion on file.
CIR
Cosmetic Ingredient Review (US expert panel)
No CIR safety assessment on file.

Evidence & sources

No graded research studies for Polyoxyl 20 cetostearyl ether yet. This record is compiled from the published data sources below — registries and regulatory listings, not study findings.

6 data sources

Where this comes from

CosIng
regulatory · updated 2026-09-23
Open →
EPA Chemical and Products Database
exposure · updated september 9, 2014
Open →
EPA DSSTox Identifiers
chemistry · updated 2025-12-29
Open →
FDA Inactive Ingredient Database
regulatory · updated 2026-01-09
Open →
FDA GSRS UNII
registry · updated 2026-02-26
Open →
openFDA Substance
registry · updated 2026-05-24
Open →

Reference links (5)

Openfda substance

pharmaceutical.basf.com

Read →

Openfda substance

chesham-ingredients.co.uk

Read →

Openfda substance

kaochemicals-eu.com

Read →

Openfda substance

industriallubricants.clariant.com

Read →

Openfda substance

huaxingchemicals.com

Read →

Suitability

Context-specific fit derived from published classifications and the current ingredient evidence profile.

Food use

Nothing to weigh for this context yet.

No signal in this context

We have no published hazard signal for this ingredient, so we cannot say how it behaves in this context — that is missing evidence, not a clean result.

Fragrance avoidance

Nothing to weigh for this context yet.

No signal in this context

We have no published hazard signal for this ingredient, so we cannot say how it behaves in this context — that is missing evidence, not a clean result.

Where it has been recorded

How often EPA CPDat has listed Polyoxyl 20 cetostearyl ether in a product composition. These are source records, not Greenveil catalog products.

Source records

2,590

Named organisations

Furniture and furnishingsCleaning and safetySpecialty occupational productsPersonal careCleaning products and household careFood and drug

Typical roles

EmulsifyingCleansingViscosity controllingEmulsifierSurfactantThickener

See products using Polyoxyl 20 cetostearyl ether →

Catalog

Found in these products

Their ingredient lists include Polyoxyl 20 cetostearyl ether; each product's own rating depends on its whole formula, so it is shown on the product page, not here.

See all 808 →Find products without it →

Co-occurrence

Often appears with

Ingredients that frequently appear alongside Polyoxyl 20 cetostearyl ether in the catalog.