POLYGLYCERYL-4 LAURATE- ▸ Emulsification: Oil-in-water emulsifier for cosmetic systems.
- ▸ Solubilizer: Solubilizes oils and fragrances in aqueous bases.
- ▸ Surfactant: Nonionic surface-active agent.
- ▸ Co-emulsifier: Supports emulsion stability.
A grade-specific Safety Data Sheet (SDS) — with the complete hazard classification, handling precautions, and transport information — is supplied with every shipment and available on request. Confirm all safety and regulatory details against the SDS for your specific grade.
Request SDS →Polyglyceryl-4 laurate (CAS 75798-42-4) is a mild, nonionic polyglycerol ester of lauric acid. Built on a tetraglycerol (polyglycerol-4) backbone esterified with C12 lauric acid, it acts as an oil-in-water emulsifier, solubilizer, and surfactant in cosmetic and personal-care formulations. Because the hydrophilic head is a polyglycerol rather than an ethoxylate, it gives formulators a PEG-free route to emulsification and oil solubilization where a PEG-free composition is required.
For purchasing and formulation teams, the appeal is twofold: a mild nonionic profile suited to leave-on and rinse-off skin contact, and PEG-free chemistry that fits clean-label, sulfate-free, and PEG-free briefs without giving up emulsifier performance. RawSource sources polyglyceryl-4 laurate in bulk for personal-care manufacturers working at pilot through production scale.
Applications
Polyglyceryl-4 laurate is a polyglycerol ester, and its value across these uses comes from the same three traits: it is mild (well tolerated in skin-contact systems), nonionic (compatible across pH and with other charge classes), and PEG-free (no ethylene-oxide chemistry in the emulsifier).
Oil-in-water emulsifier and solubilizer
It emulsifies oil into water and solubilizes lipophilic actives, fragrances, and oils into aqueous bases. That makes it a working ingredient in micellar waters, oil-loaded cleansing systems, fragrance and essential-oil solubilization, and clear or translucent aqueous formats where an oil phase must be carried without a coarse emulsion. Effective HLB and use level depend on the oil phase and the rest of the surfactant system, so co-emulsifiers and viscosity builders are typically tuned around it.
Mild cleansing systems
As a nonionic surfactant, polyglyceryl-4 laurate is used to build or soften cleansing bases — facial cleansers, micellar formats, and low-irritation washes — often paired with anionic or amphoteric surfactants to lift mildness and adjust foam and feel. It is a common choice when a brief calls for sulfate-free or PEG-free cleansing.
Skin-care emulsions
In lotions, creams, and serums it serves as a primary or co-emulsifier for oil-in-water systems, contributing emulsion stability and a light, non-greasy skin feel. Its emollient and wetting character also supports texture and spreadability in the finished emulsion.
PEG-free formulation systems
For brands formulating to a PEG-free standard, polyglyceryl esters such as this one replace ethoxylated emulsifiers and solubilizers. Polyglyceryl-4 laurate lets a formulator hold emulsifying and oil-solubilizing function while keeping the composition free of polyethylene glycol — the practical reason it is specified in clean-label and PEG-free product lines.
Forms and Grade
Polyglyceryl-4 laurate is typically supplied as a liquid — commonly a clear to pale-yellow viscous liquid — at a defined active content, which varies by manufacturer and grade. Exact appearance, percent active, and viscosity are confirmed against the certificate of analysis for the lot supplied. Tell us your target specification (active level, INCI confirmation, regional compliance) and we will source to it.
Handling
Handle in accordance with the supplier Safety Data Sheet, which governs storage, personal protective equipment, and disposal for the specific grade supplied. A current SDS and certificate of analysis accompany each shipment.
Request a Quote
RawSource sources polyglyceryl-4 laurate (CAS 75798-42-4) in bulk for personal-care and cosmetic manufacturers. Send your specification and target volume — drum, tote, or larger — and we will return a bulk quote, with CoA and SDS provided. Request a quote.
Reviewed and updated July 2026 by the RawSource technical team.
Polyglyceryl-4 laurate (CAS 75798-42-4) is a PEG-free, nonionic ester of lauric acid and tetraglycerol, used as an oil-in-water emulsifier and solubilizer in personal-care formulations.
Polyglyceryl-4 Laurate: Key Figures for Buyers
- Cosmetic safety status: the Expert Panel for Cosmetic Ingredient Safety assessed 274 polyglyceryl fatty acid esters, polyglyceryl-4 laurate among them, and concluded they are safe in cosmetics in the present practices of use and concentration when formulated to be non-irritating (International Journal of Toxicology, 2023).
- HLB value: approx. 11 on the HLB index, in the oil-in-water emulsifier range, per the Evonik TEGO Care PL 4 technical datasheet (doc. C 01/09).
- Recommended use level: 2-10 wt% as an emulsifier or emollient for a representative commercial grade, with a saponification value of 120-140 mg KOH/g and a 36-month ambient shelf life, per the Stephenson Durosoft PG4L-SG specification, Rev. 12 (2025).
- Reported cosmetic use: 12 formulations in FDA voluntary registration data, at a maximum reported use concentration of 0.47%, per the CIR final safety assessment (2016).
- US food-additive class status: polyglycerol esters of fatty acids up to and including the decaglycerol esters are permitted food emulsifiers under 21 CFR 172.854 (2024 edition) when prepared from the fats and oils that section lists; food-grade status is grade-specific, so confirm documentation per lot.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is polyglyceryl-4 laurate used for?
Polyglyceryl-4 laurate (CAS 75798-42-4) is a nonionic polyglycerol ester of lauric acid used as an oil-in-water emulsifier, solubilizer, and co-emulsifier in cosmetic formulations. It solubilizes oils and fragrances in aqueous bases and is common in micellar waters, mild cleansers, and skin-care emulsions.
What is polyglyceryl-4 laurate made from?
It is the ester of lauric acid (C12) with tetraglycerol (polyglycerol-4), CAS 75798-42-4 — a polyglycerol-based nonionic surfactant chemistry. Because the hydrophile is a polyglycerol rather than an ethoxylate, the emulsifier itself is PEG-free.
Is polyglyceryl-4 laurate PEG-free?
Yes — as a polyglycerol ester, the emulsifier contains no polyethylene glycol. That is why it is specified in PEG-free, sulfate-free, and clean-label formulation briefs as a replacement for ethoxylated emulsifiers and solubilizers.
How does polyglyceryl-4 laurate differ from polyglyceryl-6 or polyglyceryl-10 laurate?
All are lauric-acid esters but on different polyglycerol chain lengths; higher polyglyceryl numbers are more hydrophilic with higher HLB. Specify the polyglyceryl number for your solubilizing or emulsifying target.
Is polyglyceryl-4 laurate a solubilizer or emulsifier?
It functions as both: a nonionic surfactant that solubilizes oils and fragrances in water and acts as an O/W emulsifier or co-emulsifier depending on use level and the rest of the system.
What grades and packaging is polyglyceryl-4 laurate available in?
It is typically supplied as a liquid at a defined active content that varies by grade. Contact RawSource with your specification and volume for a bulk quote; CoA and SDS accompany each lot.
Is polyglyceryl-4 laurate safe?
For cosmetic use, the published safety review says yes as used. The Expert Panel for Cosmetic Ingredient Safety assessed 274 polyglyceryl fatty acid esters, including polyglyceryl-4 laurate, and concluded in its 2023 assessment that they are safe in cosmetics in the present practices of use and concentration when formulated to be non-irritating. Reported cosmetic use ran up to 0.47% concentration. Confirm hazards and handling for your specific grade against its Safety Data Sheet.
What is the HLB of polyglyceryl-4 laurate?
Approximately 11, which places it in the oil-in-water emulsifier range. Evonik’s TEGO Care PL 4 datasheet lists an HLB value of approx. 11 for its polyglyceryl-4 laurate grade, noting the figure is not part of specifications. Because the tetraglycerol backbone is an oligomer distribution, HLB shifts slightly between manufacturers. Confirm the value on the technical data sheet of the grade you are qualifying.
How do you use polyglyceryl-4 laurate in a formulation?
Dose it at 2-10% of the formula as a primary oil-in-water emulsifier or emollient, per Stephenson’s published specification. For wet-wipe impregnating liquids, Evonik’s TEGO Care PL 4 datasheet recommends 0.5-1.0% in the final liquid, made by diluting a 5-10% concentrate processed at 50-80 °C, paired 1:1 in its examples with methyl glucose sesquistearate. Supplier testing showed finished emulsions stable from -5 °C to 45 °C.
Is polyglyceryl-4 laurate palm oil derived?
It can be. The INCI name fixes the chemistry, not the feedstock, so origin is grade-specific. Stephenson’s Durosoft PG4L-SG specification, for example, states the grade is made with 100% RSPO-certified segregated palm kernel oil (certificate BMT-RSPO-000008) and declares 100% natural-origin content under ISO 16128-1:2016. Buyers with RSPO, palm-free, or coconut-derived requirements should confirm feedstock and certification on the supplier specification for each grade.