What it is
Octyldodeceth-16 is the polyethylene glycol ether of the branched fatty alcohol octyldodecanol, with an average of 16 ethylene oxide units. As a nonionic surfactant it helps emulsify and solubilize oil and water phases in a formulation. It is commonly used to support stable, uniform textures.
Safety & warnings
Ethoxylated fatty alcohols like octyldodeceth-16 are widely used as mild nonionic surfactants and emulsifiers. They are generally well tolerated in rinse-off and leave-on products; overall tolerability depends on the concentration and the full formulation.
Origin & sourcing
Synthetic. It is made by ethoxylating octyldodecanol, a branched fatty alcohol, with ethylene oxide.
Questions everyone asks
What is octyldodeceth-16?
It is an ethoxylated fatty alcohol (a PEG ether of octyldodecanol) used as a nonionic surfactant and emulsifier in cosmetics.
What does it do in a sunscreen?
It helps emulsify and solubilize the oil and water phases, supporting a stable, uniform texture.