Is Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate safe in cosmetics?
Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate has a safety rating of "EXCELLENT" in our database. EU status: permitted. US status: permitted.
EXCELLENT
Emulsifier
Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate
Also known as: Decanoic acid, monoester with tetraglycerol, UNII-3N873UN885
INCI: POLYGLYCERYL-4 CAPRATE
Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate (CAS 160391-93-5) is a cosmetic emulsifier functioning as Solubilizer; emulsifier; cleansing agent. EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: permitted. Industrial safety data is also available in the chemical safety database.
View industrial chemical safety profile for CAS 160391-93-5 →
Function
Solubilizer; emulsifier; cleansing agent
Editorial assessment
EXCELLENT
Preliminary editorial note — not a computed safety verdict.
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
permitted
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
PEG-free alternative to polysorbates for fragrance and active solubilization. COSMOS/ECOCERT eligible. No 1,4-dioxane concern — produced without ethoxylation. Emerging clean-beauty emulsifier replacing Polysorbate 20 in COSMOS-certified formulations. Comparable solubilization performance without ethoxylation-derived concerns.
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Additional Ingredient Properties
5 property records from structured ingredient metadata.
cost_pricing
{"cost_tier": "premium", "estimated_cost_per_kg_usd_low": "38", "estimated_cost_per_kg_usd_high": "70", "natural_premium_markup_pct": "55", "organic_certified_premium_pct": "95", "supply_chain_volatility": "medium", "primary_source_region": "Germany", "synthetic_vs_natural_cost_ratio": "2.5", "bulk_discount_threshold_kg": "50", "seasonal_price_variation": "low", "commodity_or_specialty": "specialt…
emulsifier
{"cas_number": "86390-97-8", "ingredient_class": "O/W_emulsifier", "chemical_type": "polyglycerol_ester", "HLB_value": "15.0", "HLB_required_for_oil_phase": "13-17", "emulsion_type_primary": "O/W", "droplet_size_typical_um": "0.5-2", "critical_micelle_concentration_pct": "0.01-0.05", "surface_tension_reduction_mN_m": "35", "interfacial_tension_reduction": "39", "foam_formation": "moderate", "foam_…
emulsion_hlb
{"hlb_value": "10.5", "hlb_required_as_emulsifier": "yes", "emulsifier_type": "o_w", "critical_packing_parameter": "0.26-0.36", "phase_inversion_temperature_c": "75-82", "emulsion_stabilization_mechanism": "steric_stabilization", "co_emulsifier_pairs": "glyceryl_caprylate", "optimal_oil_phase_pct": "8-22", "optimal_water_phase_pct": "78-92", "electrolyte_tolerance": "moderate", "pH_emulsion_stabil…
pediatric_safety
{"safe_for_newborn_0_6m": "yes", "safe_for_infant_6_12m": "yes", "safe_for_toddler_1_3y": "yes", "safe_for_child_3_12y": "yes", "safe_for_teen_12_18y": "yes", "pediatric_max_concentration_pct": "5.0", "adult_max_concentration_pct": "5.0", "pediatric_dermal_absorption_factor": "minimal", "diaper_area_safe": "yes", "pediatric_allergy_prevalence": "low", "banned_in_children_products_eu": "no", "banne…
sensory
{"silky": "light", "smooth, glides easily": "smooth, disperses easily", "dry-touch, non-greasy": "soft, non-greasy", "instant": "fast", "low": "low", "w/o": "o/w", "very-high": "high", "no": "no", "yes": "no", "1.40": "1.45", "transparent": "transparent", "colorless": "colorless", "excellent": "good", "light": "light", "synthetic": "botanical"}
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Emulsifier
Softener and conditioner
Surfactant (surface active agent)
Editorial summary
Preliminary editorial summary for Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate — not a computed safety verdict. See the sourced toxicological data above.
Regulatory Flags
non-ethoxylated
peg-free
cosmos
ecocert
solubilizer
polysorbate-alternative
clean-beauty
Known Synonyms
Decanoic acid, monoester with tetraglycerol
UNII-3N873UN885
Chemical Function
Emulsifier
Softener and conditioner
Surfactant (surface active agent)
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate allowed in the EU?
Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate EU regulatory status: permitted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate do in cosmetics?
Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate functions as: Solubilizer; emulsifier; cleansing agent. It is classified as a Emulsifier in our database. CAS number: 160391-93-5.
Compliance Tools
Check Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate compliance across multiple jurisdictions:
Ingredient Decoder
Paste a full ingredient list for instant analysis
82 Allergen Checker
Check for EU declarable fragrance allergens
Substance Compliance
Check compliance across multiple jurisdictions
MoS Calculator
Calculate Margin of Safety using SCCS methodology
Heavy Metal Limits
Compare limits across jurisdictions
Related Ingredients
Cetearyl Glucoside
EXCELLENT
Same category
emulsifier
Cetearyl Olivate
EXCELLENT
Same category
emulsifier
Glyceryl Stearate
EXCELLENT
Same category
emulsifier
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
EXCELLENT
Same category
emulsifier
Hydrogenated Lecithin
EXCELLENT
Same category
emulsifier
Lecithin
EXCELLENT
Same category
Complex phospholipid mixture (princip...
1-Methylhydantoin-2-imide (Creatinine)
EXCELLENT
Similar safety
Skin conditioning (skin brightening/l...
2,6-Dimethyl-7-octen-2-ol (Dihydromyrcenol)
EXCELLENT
Similar safety
Fragrance (perfuming), masking
2-Ethoxy-2,6,6-Trimethyl-9-Methylenebicyclo[3.3.1]Nonane (Boisiris™)
EXCELLENT
Similar safety
Fragrance (rich woody, orris/iris roo...
2-Hydroxypropylcarbamato Amodimethicone
EXCELLENT
Similar safety
Hair conditioning; modified aminosili...
2-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
EXCELLENT
Similar safety
Softener and conditioner
3 O Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
EXCELLENT
Similar safety
Antioxidant; tyrosinase inhibitor; me...
POLY 1,2-BUTANEDIOL-6 PROPYLENE GLYCOL
GOOD
Browse nearby
Solvent
POLY METHYL STYRENE ISOPROPANOL KETONE
GOOD
Browse nearby
Light Stabilizer
POLY(1-4 BUTANEDIOL)-27
GOOD
Browse nearby
Not Reported
Is Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate in Your Products?
Scan any product label with Piro — our free ingredient scanner. Point your camera at the ingredients list and get instant safety scores for every ingredient.
Try Piro Free →Analyze Your Full Ingredient List
Paste any INCI list into the Decoder for instant safety analysis, or calculate the Margin of Safety for Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate in your formulation.