What is pentaerythrityl tetraisostearate and what is it used for?
Pentaerythrityl tetraisostearate (CAS 62125-22-8) is a branched pentaerythritol ester used as an emollient and emulsifier. It provides gloss, pigment wetting and structure in color cosmetics such as lipstick and foundation, a cushiony dry-oil emollient film in skin care, and spreading and dispersion support in sun care.
PENTAERYTHRITYL TETRAISOSTEARATE- ▸ Color cosmetics: gloss, pigment wetting and structure for lipstick, lip gloss and foundations
- ▸ Skin care: rich cushiony dry-oil emollient with occlusive film
- ▸ Sun care: emollient and spreading aid that helps disperse UV filters
- ▸ Pigment-wetting/dispersion aid for inorganic pigments and pearls in anhydrous color systems
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 →Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate (CAS 62125-22-8) is the pentaerythritol tetraester of isostearic acid — a heavy, branched emollient ester built from a four-arm pentaerythritol core capped with four branched C18 isostearate chains. That architecture is the whole point. The high molecular weight (formula C77H148O8) keeps the ester at the surface rather than absorbing in, so it delivers a rich, cushiony emollience with real gloss and slip. The branched isostearate chains keep it a pourable liquid where a straight-chain stearate would set up waxy, and they resist oxidation far better than unsaturated naturals. Formulators reach for it when they want pigment-wetting power, long-wearing gloss, and a dry-oil cushion without a greasy drag.
Applications by Sector
Color Cosmetics
This is where the ester earns its keep. In lipstick and lip gloss it carries a high level of gloss and excellent substantivity, and its strong pigment-wetting behavior disperses inorganic pigments and pearls evenly — cleaner color payoff, fewer agglomerates, and structure that holds. Because the molecule is large and low-migration, it sits on the lip and resists bleed and feathering, which supports water-resistant, long-wearing claims. In foundations and pressed or loose powders it doubles as a binder and dispersion medium, wetting the pigment phase so shade stays true from batch to batch.
Skin Care
As a skin-conditioning emollient it forms a lightweight occlusive film that helps slow transepidermal water loss while reading as a dry-oil cushion rather than a heavy grease. The cushiony cling comes straight from the high MW; the dry, non-tacky finish comes from the branching. It anchors anhydrous balms, sticks, and rich creams where you want a luxe slip that lingers.
Sun Care
In sunscreens it works as both an emollient and a spreading aid, helping disperse UV filters — especially inorganic TiO2 and ZnO — and lay down an even film. Better filter dispersion supports more uniform coverage, and its water-repellent character pairs naturally with water-resistant SPF systems. (Performance claims belong to your finished-formula testing, not to the raw material.)
Pigment-Wetting & Dispersion Aid
Across all of the above, its core utility is wetting and dispersing solids. The branched ester surrounds pigment particles and reduces agglomeration, which improves color development, gloss, and rheology in any pigmented anhydrous system — lip, eye, cheek, or nail.
Forms & Grade
Supplied as a cosmetic-grade liquid emollient ester for personal-care manufacturing. INCI: Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate. Confirm exact specification — color, acid value, saponification value, viscosity — against the lot Certificate of Analysis for your formulation tolerances.
Handling
Handle as a fatty-acid ester for industrial use. The governing Safety Data Sheet supplied with each lot controls storage, handling, PPE, and disposal — follow it. No medical, drug, or efficacy claims are made for the raw material; performance is a property of your finished formulation and its own testing.
Bulk Sourcing
RawSource sources Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate in bulk — drums, IBCs, and totes — for cosmetic and personal-care manufacturers on an RFQ basis. Send your target volume, ship-to, and required specification and we will return a current quote with CoA and SDS. Request a bulk quote.
Reviewed and updated July 2026 by the RawSource technical team.
Pentaerythrityl tetraisostearate (CAS 62125-22-8) is the liquid tetraester of pentaerythritol and isostearic acid, used as an emollient and pigment-wetting agent in color cosmetics, skin care, and sun care.
Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate: Key Figures
- 532 leave-on and 9 rinse-off products: reported uses of pentaerythrityl tetraisostearate filed with the FDA Voluntary Cosmetic Registration Program, per the CIR final safety assessment (2012).
- 55% maximum reported use concentration: the highest leave-on level in the Personal Care Products Council use survey, found in lipstick, per the 2012 CIR assessment.
- 16 tetraesters reviewed and concluded safe: the CIR Expert Panel assessed pentaerythrityl tetraisostearate and 15 related tetraesters as “safe as cosmetic ingredients in the practices of use and concentration” documented (final report, August 23, 2012).
- 107-subject patch test at 55%: a human repeat-insult patch test of a lip gloss containing the ester produced no irritation or sensitization (CIR, 2012).
- 1202.0 g/mol molecular weight (C77H148O8): CIR notes these tetraesters have molecular weights “too large to pass through the dermal layer” (PubChem CID 173849; CIR, 2012).
Regulatory & registration requirements
- TSCA (US):
- REACH (EU):
- EC number: 263-423-1
TSCA Inventory flag PMN: a commenced PMN (premanufacture notice) substance (EPA flag legend).
Source: EPA TSCA Inventory (July 2025 release) · ECHA CHEM — retrieved 2026-07-12
Frequently Asked Questions
What is pentaerythrityl tetraisostearate used for?
Pentaerythrityl tetraisostearate (CAS 62125-22-8) is the pentaerythritol tetraester of isostearic acid, supplied as a heavy emollient ester. In color cosmetics it provides gloss, pigment wetting, and structure for lipstick, lip gloss, and foundations; in skin care it is a cushiony, dry-oil emollient; in sun care it acts as an emollient and spreading aid that helps disperse UV filters.
Why do formulators choose a branched tetraester over a simpler emollient?
The four-arm pentaerythritol core gives it a high molecular weight (C77H148O8), so it stays at the surface and delivers a rich, cushiony cling with gloss instead of absorbing in. The branched isostearate chains keep it a liquid rather than a wax, give a dry non-tacky finish, and provide good oxidative stability compared with unsaturated natural oils.
Why is the isostearate ester different from a straight stearate ester?
Isostearic acid is a branched isomer of stearic acid, so its esters stay liquid and spread differently than straight-chain stearate esters, which are more waxy. That branching is what makes pentaerythrityl tetraisostearate a pourable liquid emollient with a dry feel rather than a solid, and it improves resistance to oxidation.
Why is it good for pigment wetting in lipstick and foundation?
The branched ester wets and surrounds pigment particles, reducing agglomeration and improving dispersion. In practice that means cleaner color payoff, more consistent shade, added gloss, and better structure in lip and color-cosmetic systems — which is why it is widely used as a dispersion medium for inorganic pigments and pearls.
What is the CAS number, and how is bulk pentaerythrityl tetraisostearate supplied?
It is supplied under CAS 62125-22-8, molecular formula C77H148O8, as a cosmetic-grade liquid ester. RawSource sources it in bulk industrial packaging such as drums and IBCs/totes for manufacturers on an RFQ basis. Pricing is volume-based; request a bulk quote with quantity and ship-to and we will include the current CoA and SDS.
What is Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate derived from?
It is derived from pentaerythritol, a four-arm polyol, esterified with four stoichiometric equivalents of isostearic acid, a branched C18 fatty acid. CIR documentation describes preparation by standard esterification of pentaerythritol with acids, acid chlorides, or acid anhydrides. The branched acid keeps the high-molecular-weight tetraester (C77H148O8, 1202.0 g/mol) liquid at 25 °C. Feedstock origin varies by producer, so request per-lot documentation when a supply-chain declaration is required.
Is pentaerythrityl safe for skin?
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel reviewed 16 pentaerythrityl tetraesters, including pentaerythrityl tetraisostearate, and concluded them “safe as cosmetic ingredients in the practices of use and concentration” given in its 2012 final assessment. That record includes a 107-subject repeat-insult patch test of a lip gloss containing 55% of this ester, with no irritation or sensitization observed. For purchasing files, cite the CIR report and the lot SDS; skin tolerance of a finished product belongs to its own testing.
Is pentaerythrityl tetraisostearate comedogenic?
Croda’s technical literature describes its Crodamol PTIS grade of pentaerythrityl tetraisostearate as a rich “non-comedogenic emollient.” The ingredient’s primary safety record, the 2012 CIR assessment, contains no standardized comedogenicity assay. Buyers supporting a non-comedogenic label claim should verify it with finished-formula testing rather than relying on the raw material alone.
What is the REACH and TSCA regulatory status of Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate?
Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate (CAS 62125-22-8) is subject to U.S. TSCA Inventory requirements; supplying it into the EU requires valid REACH registration ((EC) No 1907/2006). RawSource cannot verify a third-party supplier's registrations — buyers should require documented TSCA and REACH compliance for their jurisdiction and volume (EC 263-423-1).