PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil

PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil 1
AKA: Polyethylene glycol hydrogenated castor oil, PEG-60 HCO
Plant-Derived
Cleanser
Emulsifier
Plant Oil
Clean
Castor oil (Ricinus communis), hydrogenated, ethoxylated (60 mol EO average molar ratio)
Family
Euphorbiaceae (Spurge family)
Plant Part
Seed
CAS #
61788-85-0
Form
Oil
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
Synthetic emulsifier created by hydrogenating castor oil and combining it with PEG in the mid-20th century. Castor oil has millennia of use in traditional medicine, while the synthetic modification improved cosmetic stability.
EWG
2
CIR
Safe as used
Pregnancy
Yes
CIR Safety Findings
Not a Sensitizer
medical-approval
all-shades-safe
Regulatory Status
USA✔ permitted
EU⚠ restricted
JAPAN⚠ restricted
CANADA⚠ restricted
Skin Types
●all-skin-types
Best For
General
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding Safe
Yes
The paper trail
🔬Peer-reviewed1 paper →
⚖️Regulatory1 listing →
🛡️Safety-assessed2 reviews →
Counts, not a verdict. A listing isn't a study. The trail, you decide.
Verified Jun 2026
Data: CosIng · EWG · CIR