Cetyl Alcohol is a plant-derived fatty alcohol commonly sourced from renewable vegetable oils such as palm or coconut. In cosmetics and skincare, it is used to thicken and stabilize formulations while improving texture and spreadability in lotions, creams, conditioners, and hair care products. It also contributes a smooth, non-drying skin feel, making it a widely used ingredient in modern and clean-leaning formulations.
Golden Soy Wax is a plant-derived wax made from hydrogenated soybean oil. It is used in cosmetics and skincare as a structuring and consistency agent to add body, firmness, and a smooth texture to balms, salves, sticks, and solid lotion products. Its softer melt profile and creamy feel make it a popular choice for natural-leaning and clean beauty formulations.
Guar Gum is a plant-derived thickener used in cosmetics and personal care products to improve viscosity, stability, and texture in water-based and emulsified formulations. It helps prevent separation and create smooth, uniform products in lotions, creams, gels, cleansers, and hair care formulations. Guar Gum is carefully selected by Suncoast PCP for its reliability, versatility, and alignment with clean and modern formulation standards.
Polysorbate 20 is a nonionic surfactant and emulsifier derived from sorbitol and fatty acids, typically sourced from renewable vegetable oils such as coconut or palm. It is produced through controlled ethoxylation of sorbitan esters, resulting in a water-soluble, mild, and effective solubilizing agent.
In cosmetics and skincare, Polysorbate 20 is used primarily as a solubilizer and emulsifier. It helps disperse essential oils, fragrances, and other lipophilic actives in water-based formulations while stabilizing emulsions and enhancing clarity. It is commonly found in creams, lotions, serums, tonics, and rinse-off products, supporting smooth texture, uniform appearance, and product stability.
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate 35% is an anionic surfactant derived from lauryl alcohol, typically sourced from coconut or palm kernel oil, and converted into a water-soluble cleansing agent through sulfation and neutralization. It is supplied as a 35% active aqueous solution and is valued for its high detergency and foaming performance.
In cosmetics and skincare, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate 35% is used primarily as a cleansing and foaming agent in rinse-off products such as shampoos, body washes, facial cleansers, hand soaps, and toothpastes. It effectively removes oils, dirt, and impurities while contributing rich, fast-forming foam. Due to its strong cleansing action, it is most often formulated alongside milder surfactants to improve skin feel and reduce irritation, making it suitable for conventional and performance-driven cleansing systems.
Suncoast Olivem 1000 is a plant-derived emulsifier obtained from olive oil and sugar (cetearyl olivate and sorbitan olivate). It is produced through gentle processing that preserves its natural origin and functionality, without chemical modification or ethoxylation.
In cosmetics and skincare, Suncoast Olivem 1000 is used as an emulsifier and co-emulsifier to create stable oil-in-water formulations. It provides smooth texture, emollience, and enhanced skin feel in creams, lotions, serums, and light moisturizers. Its mildness and plant-based origin make it suitable for sensitive, dry, and clean beauty formulations, helping deliver elegant, non-greasy hydration while stabilizing emulsions.
Emulsifiers are functional cosmetic ingredients that allow oil and water to blend into a stable, uniform product. Because oil and water naturally separate, emulsifiers are essential for creating creams, lotions, serums, and milks with consistent texture and performance.
Emulsifiers work by positioning themselves at the oil–water interface, reducing surface tension and forming a stable system that prevents separation over time. Nonionic emulsifiers are commonly used in clean beauty formulations due to their pH stability, mildness, and broad compatibility.
Emulsifiers are used to:
Create and maintain stable emulsions
Improve texture, spreadability, and sensory feel
Support even distribution of oils and active ingredients
Enable scalable and reproducible manufacturing
They are essential in lotions, creams, serums, sunscreens, conditioners, and cleansing creams.
Use levels vary by emulsifier type and formulation goals:
1–3% for lightweight emulsions
3–8% for standard creams and lotions
8–12% for rich or highly structured emulsions
Emulsifiers are often combined with co-emulsifiers or structuring agents to fine-tune stability and skin feel.
Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR): Common cosmetic emulsifiers are considered safe as used
Environmental Working Group (EWG): Many plant-derived and nonionic emulsifiers rate low hazard (Score 1–2)
PEG-Free Options: Widely available
Biodegradable: Many emulsifiers are biodegradable and environmentally compatible
Skin Compatibility: Frequently used in sensitive-skin formulations
Emulsifiers are broadly accepted under major retailer clean standards when they:
Serve a clear functional purpose
Are plant-derived or biodegradable, when possible
Avoid restricted ethoxylated or petroleum-based chemistries
Support formulation stability and product safety
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