Potassium Castorate

AKA: Potassium castor oil, Potassium ricinoleate

Synthetic

Cleanser

Plant Oil

Clean

fatty acids, castor oil, potassium salts

CAS #

8013-05-6

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.

Cleansing Surfactant

Removes Impurities

Traditional Use

Synthetic ester derived from castor oil, which has been used in traditional medicine and cosmetics for millennia in India and Africa. The potassium salt was developed in the 20th century as a modern emulsifier and conditioning agent.

EWG

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

Regulatory Agencies

EWG CIR FDA EU COSING Health Canada

Skin Types

●all-skin-types

Best For

General

Pregnancy & Breastfeeding Safe

Yes

The paper trail

🔬Peer-reviewednone on file

⚖️Regulatory1 listing →

🛡️Safety-assessed3 reviews →

Counts, not a verdict. A listing isn't a study. The trail, you decide.

Verified Jun 2026

Data: CosIng · EWG · CIR