Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate

Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate is a PEG-free non-ionic surfactant & emollient with great solubilizing abilities.

Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate

Some manufacturers also include water in the INCI. Check the data sheet to see how much water it contains; if it’s in the 9–11% range that’s in line with products from manufacturers who don’t include water in the INCI.

Viscous yellowish liquid; can be clear or hazy depending on how long it has been stored.

From Evonik: “Under storage the product tends to get turbid. This is a typical behaviour and indicates no loss in application behaviour or performance. In case of small precipitate, the product should be homogenized at approx. 30°C.”

Formulations from Evonik show 1–34%, depending on the formulation. 34% was a foaming bath oil; cleansers used 1–2%.

3V Sigma USA Inc. recommends 1–6%, but they also use it at 8% in one of their sample formulations.

Skin Chakra recommends 1–10%.

Nothing very noticeable

Liquid at room temperature

3–7, according to My Skin Recipes (that’s quite the range!)

Non-ionic

According to Evonik, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate is soluble in water, ethanol, 1,2 propanediol, and ester oils. It is insoluble in parrafin oil, isopropyl myristate (IPM), and vegetable oil.

It can be used as a re-fatting ingredient in foaming cleansers and as a standalone surfactant/cleanser in very mild products like micellar water.

If you’re looking for a COSMOS-compliant alternative to ingredients like polysorbate 80, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, and PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Triglycerides, it’s definitely worth considering!

No, but if you want to make natural micellar water it’s the best natural alternative I’ve found to PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Triglycerides.

Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate only exists as a refined product.

Great natural alternative to PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Triglycerides in micellar water.

It is stable across a wide pH range (4–10).

It’s availability isn’t amazing, but it’s better than PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Triglycerides!

In micellar water, PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Triglycerides works well, though it is not natural.

Include Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate in the water phase of your formulations; it can be hot or cold processed, as needed.

If using it as a solubilizer, I recommend mixing the Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate with whatever it’ll be solubilizing first, and then slowly stirring in the water.

Stored somewhere cool, dark, and dry, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate should last at least 18 months from the date of manufacture.

Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate is often part of natural solubilizers, along with a blend of other ingredients. Do not assume you can swap a natural solubilizer that contains Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate 1-for-1 with pure Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate in a formulation. It could work, but you’ll have to test it to find out!

Evonik’s TEGOSOFT® PC 41, 3V Sigma USA Inc.’s Emulsiderm PG4C, and Oleon’s Jolee 7931 all contain 9–11% water. This is more water than polysorbate 80 contains but less than many natural solubilizers, so it could be a good natural solubilizer option for bath bombs.

30mL (1fl oz)

 Buy it from an online DIY ingredient supplier. Mine is from MySkinRecipes out of Thailand. I’ve also found it at:

• Skin Chakra (Germany)
• Cosmetic Studio (South Africa)
• DIY Naturally (South Africa)
• Candle Cocoon (USA)

There are many Polyglyceryl-[number] [prefix]-ate ingredients out there, and they are not all interchangeable. Examples include Polyglyceryl-4 Oleate, Polyglyceryl-3 Ricinoleate, Polyglyceryl-6 Ricinoleate, Polyglyceryl-6 Caprylate, and Polyglyceryl-3 Cocoate. Make sure you’re reading the entire INCI; poly-XX-ate isn’t enough of a match!