WHAT IS POLYSORBATE 80 AND HOW TO USE IT IN DIY BATH PRODUCTS
WHAT IS POLYSORBATE 80?
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ALL ABOUT IT: Polysorbate 80 is a non-ionic surfactant and emulsifier derived from sorbitol and oleic acid. It's one of the most versatile ingredients you can have in your cosmetic ingredient stash. It works by helping oil and water mix together, which normally would separate. It's commonly used in bath products, room sprays, and body care formulations. You'll find it in a ton of commercial products like ice cream, vitamins, and cosmetics. It's considered safe and is approved by the FDA for use in food and cosmetics.
INCI: Polysorbate 80
USAGE: Emulsifier and Solubilizer
USAGE RATE: 1-10% for most formulations. Can go higher for specific applications.
SOLUBILITY: Soluble in water and oil
PHASE: Can be added to either oil or water phase, but I prefer adding it to the oil phase
COLOR & TEXTURE: Clear to pale yellow liquid, slightly viscous
AROMA: Mild, slightly chemical
MELTING POINT: Liquid at room temperature
PH: 5-7
WHY USE IT: If you want to make bath products like bath oils or bath bombs that won't leave a greasy ring around your tub, you’ll need polysorbate 80. It disperses oils into water so they don't just float on top. It's also essential for making room sprays with essential oils or fragrance oils that actually stay mixed. Without it, your oils will separate and you'll end up spraying straight oil instead of a nice mist.
BENEFITS: It's incredibly versatile and works in so many different formulations. It helps prevent separation in products, allows you to mix oils into water-based products, and helps ingredients absorb better into the skin. It's gentle and non-irritating for most people. It can also help reduce the greasy feel of heavy oils in formulations.
CONS: It's a synthetic ingredient, so if you're looking for all-natural formulations, this won't work for you. Some people are sensitive to polysorbates, though this is relatively rare. It's derived from palm oil in many cases, so finding sustainably sourced polysorbate 80 can be tricky.
BEST FORMULATIONS: Bath oils, bath bombs, room sprays, linen sprays, body mists, facial toners with oils, and any formulation where you need to mix oil and water together.
DO YOU NEED IT: If you want to make bath products or room sprays, yes. If you're only making oil-based products like salves and balms, then no.
SUBSTITUTIONS: Polysorbate 20 can sometimes be substituted but it's not as strong. You might need to use more of it. There's no truly natural substitute that works the same way.
WHERE TO GET IT: Online cosmetic ingredient retailers like Lotioncrafter, Making Cosmetics, or Amazon*.
HOW MUCH TO BUY: Start with 4-8 ounces. A little goes a long way in most formulations.
STORAGE AND SHELF LIFE: Up to 2-3 years if stored in a cool, dark place. Keep the cap tightly closed.
NOTES: For bath products, use polysorbate 80 at 50% of your total oil content. So if your formulation has 10% oils, you'll want about 5% polysorbate 80. For a more dispersed effect, you can go 1:1, meaning if you have 10% oils, use 10% polysorbate 80. For room sprays and body mists, start at 5-10% depending on how much fragrance or essential oil you're using. The more oil in your formulation, the more polysorbate 80 you'll need to keep everything mixed. Don't skip this ingredient in bath products unless you want an oily bathtub which can be a very dangerous sipping hazard!
