Cetoleth-20
molecular structure · PubChem
AKA: Polyethylene glycol cetyl oleyl ether, PEG-20 cetyl oleyl ether, Cetyl oleyl polyethylene glycol ether
Synthetic
Cleanser
Emulsifier
Not Clean
Alcohols, C16 and C18-unsaturated, ethoxylated (20 mol EO average molar ratio)
Effective at 9.03%
CAS #
68155-01-1
Form
Liquid
Functions
Cleansing
Makes oil and water mix so dirt, makeup, and sunscreen can actually be washed away. The reason your face wash foams.
Emulsifying
Forces oil and water to stay mixed instead of separating into layers. The unsung hero holding your lotion together.
Cleansing Surfactant
Emulsifier
Removes Impurities
Mixes Oil & Water
Traditional Use
A polyethoxylated cetyl alcohol developed as a surfactant and emulsifier. Widely adopted in the cosmetic industry for creating stable, uniform formulations.
EWG
4
CIR
Safe as used
Pregnancy
Yes
CIR Safety Findings
Not a Sensitizer
medical-approval
all-shades-safe
Concentration Guide
0.06%
18.0%
0%25%
Reported use
CIR reported use: 0.1-18 | 0.3-10 | 1-4 | 0.06-10
Regulatory Agencies
Skin Types
●all-skin-types
Best For
General
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding Safe
Yes
The paper trail
🔬Peer-reviewednone on file
⚖️Regulatory1 listing →
🛡️Safety-assessed1 review →
Counts, not a verdict. A listing isn't a study. The trail, you decide.
Verified Jun 2026
Data: CosIng · EWG · CIR