GLYCOL STEARATE
2-hydroxyethyl stearate
GLYCOL STEARATE is listed in the EU CosIng inventory, but no direct annex records are linked on this page yet.
Regulatory evidence by market
No rule for this ingredient has been imported for any of the 13 markets tracked here.
That describes this inventory, not the law. No imported rule is not evidence that an ingredient is permitted: a rule may exist under another name or identifier, or in a dataset not yet imported here.
Chemical identity and properties
Glycol monostearate
Polyoxyl 40 stearate is an octadecanoate ester composed of repeating 8-40 ethyleneoxy units. It is an ingredient used in cosmetics and beauty products primarily as a surfactant and emulsifier. It has a role as a nonionic surfactant, an emulsifier and a food emulsifier. It is a hydroxypolyether and an octadecanoate ester. — ChEBI
- IUPAC name
- 2-hydroxyethyl octadecanoate
- Molecular formula
- C20H40O3
- Molecular weight
- 328.5 g/mol
- Exact mass
- 328.29774513 Da
- XLogP3
- 7.8
- Topological polar surface area
- 46.5 Ų
- Hydrogen-bond donors
- 1
- Hydrogen-bond acceptors
- 3
- Covalent units
- 1
- Defined stereocentres
- 0
Also known as
16 more reported names
External database identifiers
- ChEBI:CHEBI:167626
- ChEBI:CHEBI:32027
- ChEMBL:CHEMBL2355383
- EPA DTXSID:DTXSID5026881
- PubMed:18717575
- PubMed:1680169
Evidence from additional scientific databases
NIH PubChem PUG-View
Attributed physical-property, hazard, environmental and use annotations.
- Color/Form: CREAM-COLORED SOFT, WAXY OR PASTY SOLID @ 25 °C Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
- Flash Point: MYRJ 45: 500 °F OC Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
- Melting Point: MP: 30-34 °C /POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL 400 MONOSTEARATE USP XVI/ Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
- Melting Point: 60.00 to 61.00 °C. @ 760.00 mm Hg Source: Human Metabolome Database (HMDB)
- Odor: FAINT FATTY ODOR Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
- Physical Description: Dry Powder; Other Solid; Large Crystals; Liquid; Liquid Source: EPA Chemical Data Reporting (CDR)
- Physical Description: Light tan solid; [Hawley] Source: Haz-Map, Information on Hazardous Chemicals and Occupational Diseases
- Solubility: POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL ESTERS AND ETHERS INCR THE WATER SOLUBILITY OF TYROTHRICIN. Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
- Solubility: SOL IN CARBON TETRACHLORIDE, PETROLEUM BENZIN, CHLOROFORM, ETHER; SLIGHTLY SOL IN ALCOHOL; INSOL IN WATER /POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL 400 MONOSTEARATE USP XVI/ Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
- Solubility: GENERALLY SOL OR DISPERSIBLE IN WATER Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
- Solubility: SOL IN TOLUENE, ACETONE, ETHER AND ETHANOL Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
- Note: This chemical does not meet GHS hazard criteria for 75.2% (357 of 475) of all reports. Source: European Chemicals Agency (ECHA)
- Signal: Warning Source: European Chemicals Agency (ECHA)
- GHS Hazard Statements: H315 (18.9%): Causes skin irritation [Warning Skin corrosion/irritation]; H319 (19.2%): Causes serious eye irritation [Warning Serious eye damage/eye irritation]; H335 (17.3%): May cause respiratory irritation [Warning Specific target organ toxicity, single exposure; Respiratory tract irritation] Source: European Chemicals Agency (ECHA)
- Precautionary Statement Codes: P261, P264, P264+P265, P271, P280, P302+P352, P304+P340, P305+P351+P338, P319, P321, P332+P317, P337+P317, P362+P364, P403+P233, P405, and P501 (click each P-code to see the statement) Source: European Chemicals Agency (ECHA)
- ECHA C&L Notifications Summary: Aggregated GHS information provided per 475 reports by companies from 12 notifications to the ECHA C&L Inventory. Each notification may be associated with multiple companies.; Reported as not meeting GHS hazard criteria per 357 of 475 reports by companies.; There are 10 notifications provided by 118 of 475 reports by companies with hazard statement code(s).; Information may vary between notifications depending on impurities, additives, and other factors. The percentage value in parenthesis indicates the notified classification ratio from companies that provide hazard codes. Only hazard codes with percentage values above 10% are shown. For more detailed information, please visit ECHA C&L website. Source: European Chemicals Agency (ECHA)
- Note: This chemical does not meet GHS hazard criteria for 87% (267 of 307) of all reports. Source: European Chemicals Agency (ECHA)
- GHS Hazard Statements: H319 (13%): Causes serious eye irritation [Warning Serious eye damage/eye irritation] Source: European Chemicals Agency (ECHA)
- Precautionary Statement Codes: P264+P265, P280, P305+P351+P338, and P337+P317 (click each P-code to see the statement) Source: European Chemicals Agency (ECHA)
- ECHA C&L Notifications Summary: Aggregated GHS information provided per 307 reports by companies from 3 notifications to the ECHA C&L Inventory.; Reported as not meeting GHS hazard criteria per 267 of 307 reports by companies.; There are 2 notifications provided by 40 of 307 reports by companies with hazard statement code(s).; Information may vary between notifications depending on impurities, additives, and other factors. The percentage value in parenthesis indicates the notified classification ratio from companies that provide hazard codes. Only hazard codes with percentage values above 10% are shown. For more detailed information, please visit ECHA C&L website. Source: European Chemicals Agency (ECHA)
- Cosmetic Ingredient Review Finding(s): Safe in the present practices of use and concentration. Ingredient, concentration, and use information are available in documents discoverable at https://cir-reports.cir-safety.org Source: Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR)
- Consumer Uses: Surfactant (surface active agent); Plasticizer; Emulsifier Source: EPA Chemical Data Reporting (CDR)
- Industry Uses: Surfactant (surface active agent); Lubricating agent; Emulsifier; Plasticizer Source: EPA Chemical Data Reporting (CDR)
- Cosmetic Ingredient Review Link: CIR ingredient: Glycol Stearate Source: Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR)
- Cosmetic Ingredient Review Link: CIR ingredient: Glycol Stearate SE Source: Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR)
- Sources/Uses: Used as a surfactant, emulsifier (cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, textile finishes, defoamers, and baked goods), dye assistant, lubricant, and antistatic agent; Also used in dentifrice compositions and to make creams, lotions, ointments, and pharmaceutical preparations; [HSDB] Source: Haz-Map, Information on Hazardous Chemicals and Occupational Diseases
- Industrial Processes with risk of exposure: Textiles (Printing, Dyeing, or Finishing) [Category: Industry] Source: Haz-Map, Information on Hazardous Chemicals and Occupational Diseases
- Uses: SURFACTANT Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
- Uses: PEG 400 MONOSTEARATE USP XVI: IN PREPN OF CREAMS, LOTIONS, OINTMENTS & PHARMACEUTICAL PREPN WHICH ARE SOL IN WATER Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
- Uses: EMULSIFIER IN COSMETICS, PHARMACEUTICALS, TEXTILE FINISHES, DEFOAMERS; DYE ASSISTANT; LUBRICANT; ANTISTATIC AGENT Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
- Uses: IN SUNSCREEN COMPOSITIONS AS MOISTURIZING BASE Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
- Uses: For more Uses (Complete) data for POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL STEARATE (6 total), please visit the HSDB record page. Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Mapped by: Existing checksum-valid CAS to unique PubChem CID match. Retrieved: 2026-08-31. Open source record
Scientific classifications and hazard annotations provide context and do not replace the market-specific regulatory decision shown above.
Additional source coverage and match status
| Source | Result | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| NIH PubChem PUG-View | Exact match | 2026-08-31 |
A recorded no-match is useful evidence that the source was checked; it is not a claim that the substance does not exist elsewhere.
Retrieved from NIH PubChem on 2026-08-31 by checksum-valid CAS matching. Chemical properties do not replace the regulatory decision on this page.
Inventory details for GLYCOL STEARATE
INCI name
GLYCOL STEARATE
Ph. Eur. name
ethylenglycoli monostearas
Description
2-hydroxyethyl stearate
Record provenance
- Inventory reference
- 34143
- Imported identity
- GLYCOL STEARATE
- Source update
- 15/10/2010
Annex records for GLYCOL STEARATE
Key data
- OPACIFYING
- Reducing transparency or translucency of cosmetics.
- SKIN CONDITIONING - EMOLLIENT
- Acting as lubricants on the skin surface providing the skin with a soft and smooth appearance.
- SURFACTANT - CLEANSING
- Wetting body surfaces, emulsifying or solubilizing oils, and suspending soil (generally, such ingredients contribute to the foaming and lathering properties of cleansing products).
- SURFACTANT - EMULSIFYING
- Helping suspensions or dispersions of liquids in a second liquid by reducing the surface tension of the substances to be emulsified.
Official EU ingredient-name evidence
The ingredient name exactly matches the official 2025 EU glossary of common ingredient names.
Related inventory evidence
Ingredients with overlapping formulation functions
Additional official and scientific sources
11 external databases to check this identity in
Each link searches that source for this identity. What each source is, and its legal weight
How GLYCOL STEARATE appears in the CosIng inventory
The CosIng inventory lists GLYCOL STEARATE as a cosmetic ingredient and this page links it to 0 annex records. The inventory entry captures names and identifiers, while the annex records show where the substance is prohibited, restricted or positively listed in EU cosmetics law.
GLYCOL STEARATE is also tagged with 4 cosmetic functions in the official data. Function labels describe intended use, but they do not replace regulatory review of linked annex records before formulation or labelling work.
Frequently asked questions
Source note for GLYCOL STEARATE
This page reproduces the CosIng inventory entry for GLYCOL STEARATE from public European Commission cosmetic ingredient materials and shows linked identifiers even when no direct annex match is currently attached.
Use this inventory page to research GLYCOL STEARATE and compare linked records, but verify restrictions and legal status against the current official source text and law before making regulatory decisions.
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