PEG-11 Castor Oil
AKA: PEG-11 ricinus communis oil
Plant-Derived
Emollient
Cleanser
Emulsifier
Skin Conditioner
Plant Oil
Not Clean
Castor oil, ethoxylated (11 mol EO average molar ratio)
Family
Euphorbiaceae (Spurge family)
Plant Part
Seed
CAS #
61791-12-6
Form
Oil
Functions
Emollient
Fills in the tiny cracks between skin cells to make everything feel smooth and soft. The "silky finish" ingredient.
Emulsifying
Forces oil and water to stay mixed instead of separating into layers. The unsung hero holding your lotion together.
Locks In Moisture
Traditional Use
A synthetic emulsifier created by polyethylene glycol modification of castor oil, which has been used as a traditional healing and conditioning agent for over 3,000 years in Egyptian and Ayurvedic medicine. Developed to make castor oil more suitable for modern cosmetic formulations.
EWG
4
CIR
Safe as used
Pregnancy
Yes
CIR Safety Findings
Not a Sensitizer
medical-approval
all-shades-safe
Regulatory Agencies
Skin Types
●all-skin-types
Best For
Dryness
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