What it is
Ceteareth-23 is a nonionic surfactant made by ethoxylating cetearyl alcohol with an average of 23 ethylene oxide units, giving it a relatively high water-solubility. In sunscreens and creams it acts as an oil-in-water emulsifier, helping disperse oily and aqueous phases into a stable lotion or cream. It is frequently paired with lower-ethoxylation emulsifiers such as Ceteareth-6 to fine-tune the emulsion balance.
Safety & warnings
Widely used and generally well tolerated in rinse-off and leave-on products. Because it is manufactured with ethylene oxide, suppliers control for residual ethylene oxide and 1,4-dioxane impurities; reputable raw materials are purified to limit these.
Origin & sourcing
Synthetic; produced by reacting cetearyl alcohol with ethylene oxide.
Questions everyone asks
What does Ceteareth-23 do in a sunscreen?
It is a nonionic emulsifier that keeps the oil and water phases blended into a stable, smooth cream or lotion.
Is Ceteareth-23 natural?
No. It is a synthetic ethoxylated derivative of cetearyl alcohol.