Polysorbate 80 & 60: What It Is, What It Does, and Why It's in Everything You Use
Polysorbate 80 & 60: What It Is, What It Does, and Why It's in Everything By LabelDecode Team | Ingredients & Formulation | 10 min read Flip over almost any product in your bathroom cabinet — a moisturiser, a shampoo, a vitamin supplement, or even a salad dressing — and there's a reasonable chance you'll find one word buried in the ingredient list: polysorbate . It's one of the most quietly omnipresent ingredients in modern chemistry, yet very few consumers know what it is, where it comes from, or whether they should be concerned about it. This guide answers every question you're likely to have about polysorbate — from its chemical structure and INCI name to whether polysorbate 80 is safe for skin, what products contain polysorbate, and how it compares to alternatives like PEG or sorbitan stearate. Whether you're a curious consumer, a beauty formulator, or a pharmaceutical researcher, read on. Quick answer: Polysorbate is a family o...