PRODUCTS

GLYCERINE MONOSTEARATE

Glycerine monostearate is composed of primary and auxiliary emulsifiers for a wide variety of personal care formulas. It is supplied as cream flakes.
Glycerine monostearate is an emulsifier for a wide variety of personal care applications.

CAS No. : 31566-31-1
EC No. : 250-705-4

Synonyms:
Glycerol monostearate; Glyceryl Stearate; Cerasynt™ SD ester; Cerasynt Stearates; Glyceryl Stearate [GMS]; 1,2,3-Propanetriol monooctadecanoate; Aldo MS; Imwitor 900K; Cerasynt SD; Glycerol monostearate; Witconol MS; Unimol SD; CERASYNT SD-; Unimol SD; C21H42O4; 2,3-dihydroxypropyl octadecanoate; 2,3-Dihydroxypropyl octadecanoate; Glyceryl monostearate; Glycerin monostearate; Monostearin; (Mix): Mixture of 1- and 2- isomers; (1-): 1-glycerol monostearate; (2-): 2-glycerol monostearate; GMS; Monostearin; 123-94-4; Tegin; 1-Glyceryl stearate; Stearin, 1-mono-; Octadecanoic acid, 2,3-dihydroxypropyl ester; 1-Monostearoylglycerol; Sandin EU; 31566-31-1; 1-MONOSTEARIN; Glycerin 1-monostearate; Aldo MSD; Aldo MSLG; Glycerin 1-stearate; Glycerol 1-stearate; Arlacel 165; Tegin 55G; alpha-Monostearin; Emerest 2407; Aldo 33; Aldo 75; Glycerol 1-monostearate; Glyceryl 1-monostearate; Stearic acid 1-monoglyceride; 1-Stearoyl-rac-glycerol; Stearoylglycerol; 2,3-dihydroxypropyl octadecanoate; 3-Stearoyloxy-1,2-propanediol; Glycerol alpha-monostearate; .alpha.-Monostearin; Tegin 515; 1-octadecanoyl-rac-glycerol; NSC 3875; 2,3-Dihydroxypropyl stearate; FEMA No. 2527; Stearic acid alpha-monoglyceride; Glycerine Monostearate; Glycerol stearate, pure; MONOSTEARIN (L); EINECS 204-664-4; EINECS 245-121-1; Stearic acid, monoester with glycerol; Glycerol .alpha.-monostearate; GLYCERINE MONOSTEARATE; 1-MONOSTEAROYL-rac-GLYCEROL; Stearic acid .alpha.-monoglyceride; (1)-2,3-Dihydroxypropyl stearate; 11099-07-3; gliseril monostearat; gliseril stearat; gliseril staarate; gliserin stearat; gliserin stearin; Cerasynt 945; Glyceryl Stearate (and) Laureth-23; Cerasynt IP; Glycol Stearate (and) Stearamide AMP; Cerasynt M; Glycol Stearate; Cerasynt PA; Propylene Glycol Stearate; Cerasynt Q; Glyceryl Stearate SE; Cerasynt SD; Glyceryl Stearate; Emulsynt 1055; Polyglyceryl-4 Oleate (and) PEG-8 Propylene Glycol Cocoate; Glyceryl monostearate; Monostearin; GLYCEROL MONOSTEARATE; 123-94-4; 31566-31-1; GLYCERYL MONOSTEARATE; Glyceryl stearate; 1-Stearoyl-rac-glycerol; Tegin; 1-MONOSTEARIN; Stearin, 1-mono-; Octadecanoic acid, 2,3-dihydroxypropyl ester; 1-Monostearoylglycerol; Sandin EU; Glycerin 1-monostearate; Glycerol 1-monostearate; Aldo MSD; Aldo MSLG; Stearic acid 1-monoglyceride; 1-Glyceryl stearate; Glycerin 1-stearate; Glycerol 1-stearate; Stearoylglycerol; Arlacel 165; Tegin 55G; alpha-Monostearin; Emerest 2407; Aldo 33; Aldo 75; Glyceryl 1-monostearate; 2,3-dihydroxypropyl octadecanoate; 3-Stearoyloxy-1,2-propanediol; Glycerol alpha-monostearate; .alpha.-Monostearin; Monoglyceryl stearate; Tegin 515; Monostearate (glyceride); Glyceryl monooctadecanoate; 1-octadecanoyl-rac-glycerol; NSC 3875; 2,3-Dihydroxypropyl stearate; FEMA No. 2527; Stearic acid alpha-monoglyceride; NSC3875; 1-MONOSTEAROYL-rac-GLYCEROL; Glycerol stearate, pure; MONOSTEARIN (L); rac-1-monostearoylglycerol; 22610-63-5; Stearic acid, monoester with glycerol; Glycerol .alpha.-monostearate; GLYCERINE MONOSTEARATE; CHEBI:75555; Stearic acid .alpha.-monoglyceride; (1)-2,3-Dihydroxypropyl stearate; Stearin, mono-; CAS-123-94-4; Abracol S.L.G.; TEGIN 90; Glyceryl monostearate [JAN:NF]; Tegin (Related); 1,2,3-Propanetriol, homopolymer, isooctadecanoate; 1,2,3-Propanetriol, homopolymer, monooctadecanoate; Eastman 600; 1-O-stearoylglycerol; 1-octadecanoylglycerol; Monostearin (Related); Glycerol Mono Stearate; rac-octadecanoylglycerol; Triglyceryl monostearate; 1-Monostearate-glycerol; Polyglyceryl-3 stearate; glycerol 1-octadecanoate; Glyceryl 1-octadecanoate; rac-glyceryl monostearate; Tegin 515 (Related); Glycerol .alpha.-sterate; (+-)-1-stearoylglycerol; Glyceryl monopalmitostearate; Glycerine Monostearate; GLYCERYL-1-STEARATE; (+-)-glyceryl monostearate; Geleol mono and diglycerides; Glyceryl stearate (Related); Glycerol monostearate (GMS); (+-)-1-monostearoylglycerol; (+-)-1-octadecanoylglycerol; 37349-34-1; 83138-62-9; Stearin, 1-mono- (8CI); Glyceryl monostearate (Related); 2,3-Dihydroxypropyl stearate #; GLYCERYL MONOSTEARATE; Glyceryl monostearate (JP17/NF); (R)-2,3-Dihydroxypropyl stearate; 1-Stearoyl-rac-glycerol, >=99%; Glyceryl monostearate 31566-31-1; rac-2,3-dihydroxypropyl octadecanoate; (+-)-2,3-dihydroxypropyl octadecanoate; Octadecanoic acid,3-dihydroxypropyl ester; 1,2,3-Propanetriol 1-octadecanoyl ester; 85666-92-8; AK175522; Octadecanoic acid, monoester with 3,3'-((2-hydroxy-1,3-propanediyl)bis(oxy))bis(1,2-propanediol-; Octadecanoic acid, monoester with tri-1,2,3-propanetriol diether; (+/-)-2,3-Dihydroxypropyl octadecanoate; 1-Glyceryl stearate; 1-Monooctadecanoylglycerol; 1-Monostearin

Glycerine Monostearate

Product: Cerasynt Stearates
Industries: Personal Care
Form: White to off-white flakes
Use level: 0.25 - 3.0%

Features & Benefits
Nonionic auxiliary emulsifier
Emulsion stabilizer
Biodegradable
100% Natural
Vegan suitable

Impurities and other Glycerine monostearate risks
According to a report in the International Journal of Toxicology by the cosmetic industry’s own Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) committee, impurities found in various PEG compounds include ethylene oxide; 1,4-dioxane; polycyclic aromatic compounds; and heavy metals such as lead, iron, cobalt, nickel, cadmium, and arsenic. Many of these impurities are linked to cancer.
PEG compounds often contain small amounts of ethylene oxide. Ethylene oxide (found in PEG-4, PEG-7, PEG4-dilaurate, and PEG 100) is highly toxic — even in small doses — and was used in World War I nerve gas. Exposure to ethylene glycol during its production, processing and clinical use has been linked to increased incidents of leukemia as well as several types of cancer.
Finally, there is 1,4-dioxane (found in PEG-6, PEG-8, PEG-32, PEG-75, PEG-150, PEG-14M, and PEG-20M), which, on top of being a known carcinogen, may also combine with atmospheric oxygen to form explosive peroxides — not exactly something you want going on your skin.
Even though responsible manufacturers do make efforts to remove these impurities (1,4-dioxane that can be removed from cosmetics through vacuum stripping during processing without an unreasonable increase in raw material cost), the cosmetic and personal care product industry has shown little interest in doing so. Surprisingly, PEG compounds are also used by natural cosmetics companies.

Properties
Chemical formula   C21H42O4
Molar mass   358.563 g·mol−1
Appearance   White solid
Density   1.03 g/cm3
Melting point   (Mix) 57–65 °C (135–149 °F)
(1-) 81 °C (178 °F) [1]
(2-) 73–74 °C (163–165 °F)
Solubility in water   Insoluble

If you find Glycerine monostearate in your cosmetics…
Although you might find conflicting information online regarding Polyethylene Glycol, PEGs family and their chemical relatives, it is something to pay attention to when choosing cosmetic and personal care products.
If you have sensitive or damaged skin it might be a good idea to avoid products containing PEGs. Using CosmEthics app you can easy add PEGs to personal alerts.
In our last blog post we wrote about vegan ingredients. Natural glycols are a good alternative to PEGs, for example natural vegetable glycerin can be used as both moisturiser and emulsifier. CosmEthics vegan list can help you find products that use vegetable glycerin as wetting agent.
At present, there is not enough information shown on product labels to enable you to determine whether PEG compounds are contaminated. But if you must buy a product containing PEGs just make sure that your PEGs are coming from a respected brand.

Glyceryl stearate and Glycerine monostearate is a combination of two emulsifying ingredients. The stabilising effect of both means that the product remains blended and will not separate.
Description
Glyceryl stearate is a solid and waxy compound. It is made by reacting glycerine (a soap by-product) with stearic acid (a naturally occurring, vegetable fatty acid). Glycerine monostearate is an off-white, solid ester of polyethylene glycol (a binder and a softener) and stearic acid.

Applications
Ideal for styling creams/lotions, conditioners, body care, facial care, sun care

Related Applications
Personal Care
Cosmetics
Hair Care
Skin Care
Sun Care

Related Benefits
Personal Care
Natural
Vegan Suitable

Related Functions
Personal Care
Emulsifiers

Glyceryl Stearate. Glycerine monostearate ester acts as an emulsion stabilizer and non-ionic auxiliary emulsifier. Glycerine monostearate ester is suggested for use in creams and lotions, conditioners and styling creams/lotions, body care, face and body washes, facial care, after-sun, self-tanning, and sunscreen applications.
The Cerasynt esters range provides a variety of emulsifiers to meet formulation requirements.

PROPERTIES
Auxiliary emulsifiers.

APPLICATIONS
A wide variety of personal care formulas.
Glycerine monostearate is a premium quality nonionic stabilizer and emulsifier. Manufactured using the highest quality raw materials for batch-to-batch reproducibility.

What Is Glycerine monostearate?
Glycerine monostearate and Glycerine monostearate SE are esterification products of glycerin and stearic acid. Glycerine monostearate is a white or cream-colored wax-like solid.
Glycerine monostearate is a "Self-Emulsifying" form of Glycerine monostearate that also contains a small amount of sodium and or potassium stearate.
In cosmetics and personal care products, Glycerine monostearate is widely used and can be found in lotions, creams, powders, skin cleansing products, makeup bases and foundations, mascara, eye shadow, eyeliner, hair conditioners and rinses, and suntan and sunscreen products.

Why is Glycerine monostearate used in cosmetics and personal care products?
Glycerine monostearate acts as a lubricant on the skin's surface, which gives the skin a soft and smooth appearance. It also slows the loss of water from the skin by forming a barrier on the skin's surface. Glycerine monostearate, and Glycerine monostearate SE help to form emulsions by reducing the surface tension of the substances to be emulsified.

Scientific Facts:
Glycerine monostearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid, a fatty acid obtained from animal and vegetable fats and oils.
Glycerine monostearate SE is produced by reacting an excess of stearic acid with glycerin. The excess stearic acid is then reacted with potassium and/or sodium hydroxide yielding a product that contains Glycerine monostearate as well as potassium stearate and/or sodium stearate.

What Is Glycerine monostearate
Glycerine monostearate is esterification products of glycerin and stearic acid. Glycerine monostearate is a white or cream-colored wax-like solid.
Glycerine monostearate SE is a "Self-Emulsifying" form of Glycerine monostearate that also contains a small amount of sodium and or potassium stearate.
In cosmetics and personal care products, Glycerine monostearate is widely used and can be found in lotions, creams, powders, skin cleansing products, makeup bases and foundations, mascara, eye shadow, eyeliner, hair conditioners and rinses, and suntan and sunscreen products.

Why is it used in cosmetics and personal care products?
Glycerine monostearate acts as a lubricant on the skin's surface, which gives the skin a soft and smooth appearance. It also slows the loss of water from the skin by forming a barrier on the skin's surface. Glycerine monostearate, and Glycerine monostearate SE help to form emulsions by reducing the surface tension of the substances to be emulsified.

Glycerine monostearate is derived from palm kernel, vegetable or soy oil and is also found naturally in the human body. It acts as a lubricant on the skin's surface, which gives the skin a soft and smooth appearance. It easily penetrates the skin and slows the loss of water from the skin by forming a barrier on the skin's surface. It has been shown to protect skin from free-radical damage as well.

Functions of Glycerine monostearate
Glycerine monostearate is derived from palm kernel, vegetable or soy oil and is also found naturally in the human body. It acts as a lubricant on the skin's surface, which gives the skin a soft and smooth appearance (Source). It easily penetrates the skin and slows the loss of water from the skin by forming a barrier on the skin's surface. It has been shown to protect skin from free-radical damage as well.

Chemically, Glycerine monostearate is used to stabilize products, decrease water evaporation, make products freeze-resistant, and keep them from forming surface crusts.

Description: Glycerine monostearate SE (self-emulsifying as it contains a small amount 3-6% of potassium stearate) is the monoester of glycerin and stearic acid. Vegetable origin. It is an emulsifier with a HLB value of 5.8 and thus useful for making water-in-oil emulsions. It can also be used as a co-emulsifier and thickener for oil- in-water formulations. Off-white flakes, bland odor. Soluble in oil.
CAS: 123-94-4
INCI Name: Glycerine monostearate
Properties: Emulsifies water and oil phase, acts as stabilizer and thickener in o/w formulations, widely used in a variety of different cosmetic formulations.
Use: Add to oil/emulsifier phase of formulas, melts at 55°C/130°F. Use level: 1-10%. For external use only.
Applications: Moisturizing creams, lotions, ointments, antiperspirant, hair care and sunscreen.

Glycerine monostearate (GMS) is one of the most commonly used ingredients in personal care formulations. But it's a material that is not well understood by most formulators. GMS (EU) is normally used as a low-HLB thickening agent in lamellar gel (EU) network (LGN)-based oil-in-water emulsions, often combined with fatty alcohols.

Glycerine monostearate, also known as Glycerine monostearate, or GMS, is EcoCert certified.
Glycerine monostearate is the natural glyceryl ester from stearic acid (glycerin and stearic acid) which offers skin conditioning, moisturization and hydration due to the glycerin component.
Functions as a non-ionic opacifier, thickener, and formulation stabilizer, where it also imparts a softer, smoother, feel to your emulsions.
Glycerine monostearate is one of the best choices, for thickening and stabilizing, to use in combination with the lactylates, where it also functions as an emollient, and gives the emulsion more smoothness.

Glycerine monostearate is the end result of reaction between glycerin and stearic acid. We all know what glycerin is and does (generally vegetable based humectant), and stearic acid is a fatty acid compound extracted from a variety of vegetable, animal, and oil sources such as palm kernel and soy. The end result of the reaction with glycerin and stearic acid is a cream-colored, waxy like substance.

Details
A super common, waxy, white, solid stuff that helps water and oil to mix together, gives body to creams and leaves the skin feeling soft and smooth.
Chemically speaking, it is the attachment of a glycerin molecule to the fatty acid called stearic acid. It can be produced from most vegetable oils (in oils three fatty acid molecules are attached to glycerin instead of just one like here) in a pretty simple, "green" process that is similar to soap making. It's readily biodegradable.

NAMELY
Glycerol stearate is used as a non-ionic emulsifier or emollient in cosmetic products. It is widely used in moisturizers and is also found in hair care products for its antistatic properties. It can be derived from palm, olive or rapeseed oil... It is authorized in bio.
Its functions (INCI)
Emollient : Softens and softens the skin
Emulsifying : Promotes the formation of intimate mixtures between immiscible liquids by modifying the interfacial tension (water and oil)
This ingredient is present in 11.81% of cosmetics.
Hand cream (46.51%)
Moisturizing cream box (46.15%)
Anti-aging night face cream (45.88%)
Anti-aging hand cream (43.75%)
Mascara (42.73%)

Glycerine monostearate
Glycerine monostearate is the natural glyceryl ester of glycerin and stearic acid. It offers excellent hydration and moisturization. It acts as a non-ionic opacifier, thickener, emollient and formulation stabilizer. It is used in skin care and body care applications.
Glycerine monostearate is classified as :
Emollient
Emulsifying
CAS Number 31566-31-1
EINECS/ELINCS No: 250-705-4
COSING REF No: 34103
INN Name: Glycerine monostearate
PHARMACEUTICAL EUROPEAN NAME: glyceroli monostearas
Chem/IUPAC Name: Glycerine monostearate

Glycerine monostearate
Learn all about Glycerine monostearate, including how it's made, and why Puracy uses Glycerine monostearate in our products.
Derived from: coconut
Pronunciation: (ˈglis-rəl stē-ə-ˌrāt)
Type: Naturally-derived
Other names: monostearate
What Is Glycerine monostearate?
Glycerine monostearate, also called Glycerine monostearate, is a white or pale yellow waxy substance derived from palm kernel, olives, or coconuts.

What Does Glycerine monostearate Do in Our products?
Glycerine monostearate is an emollient that keeps products blended together; it can also be a surfactant, emulsifier, and thickener in food — often it’s used as a dough conditioner and to keep things from going stale.[1] In our products, however, Glycerine monostearate is used for its most common purpose — to bind moisture to the skin. For this reason, it is a common ingredient in thousands of cosmetic products, including lotions, makeup, skin cleansers, and other items.

Why Puracy Uses Glycerine monostearate
We use Glycerine monostearate in several of our products as a moisturizer; it also forms a barrier on the skin and prevents products from feeling greasy. As an emulsifier, it also allows products to stay blended.[5] Several studies and clinical tests find that Glycerine monostearate causes little or no skin or eye irritation and is not a danger in formulations that might be inhaled.[6,7,8] In addition, a number of clinical trials have found that Glycerine monostearate in moisturizers can lessen symptoms and signs of atopic dermatitis, including pruritus, erythema, fissuring, and lichenification.[9] In 1982 and again in 2015, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review deemed the ingredient safe for use in cosmetics.[10] Whole Foods has deemed the ingredient acceptable in its body care quality standards.[11]

How Glycerine monostearate Is Made
Glycerine monostearate is formed through a reaction of glycerin with stearic acid, which is a fatty acid that comes from animal and vegetable fats and oils. Glycerine monostearate SE, the self-emulsifying form of the substance, is made by reacting an excess of stearic acid with glycerin. The excess stearic acid is then reacted with potassium and/or sodium hydroxide. That produces a substance that contains Glycerine monostearate, potassium stearate, and/or sodium stearate
Glycerine monostearate (GMS) is one of the most commonly used ingredients in personal care formulations. But it’s a material that is not well understood by most formulators. GMS (EU) is normally used as a low-HLB thickening agent in lamellar gel (EU) network (LGN)-based oil-in-water emulsions, often combined with fatty alcohols.

LGN-based emulsions containing thickening polymers are the most common type of oil-in-water formulations sold globally. Most GMS used in personal care products should actually be called glyceryl distearate (EU), since many common grades only contain around 40% alpha monostearate (EU), 5% glyceryl tristearate (EU), and 50% glyceryl distearate.
There are also grades commercially available that contain 30%, 60%, and 90% GMS. The 90% alpha mono grades can only be produced by molecular distillation and are widely used in the food industry.

Functionally, there is a big difference in performance if you use a 90% versus 40% mono. A 90% mono has a higher melting point (69°C versus 58-63°C), lighter skin feel, and a higher HLB (EU) (~4-5, versus ~3). The higher HLB of the 90% mono enables you to form LGNs much easier with lower emulsifier levels and energy than when using cetyl (EU)/stearyl alcohol (EU). There are also self-emulsifying (SE) grades of GMS available, which are typically combined with PEG 100 stearate (EU), potassium stearate (EU), or sodium lauryl sulfate (EU).

Glycerine monostearate, commonly known as GMS, is a monoglyceride commonly used as an emulsifier in foods.[3] It takes the form of a white, odorless, and sweet-tasting flaky powder that is hygroscopic. Chemically it is the glycerol ester of stearic acid.

Structure, synthesis, and occurrence
Glycerine monostearate exists as three stereoisomers, the enantiomeric pair of 1-Glycerine monostearate and 2-Glycerine monostearate. Typically these are encountered as a mixture as many of their properties are similar.
Commercial material used in foods is produced industrially by a glycerolysis reaction between triglycerides (from either vegetable or animal fats) and glycerol.
Glycerine monostearate occurs naturally in the body as a product of the breakdown of fats by pancreatic lipase. It is present at very low levels in certain seed oils.

Uses
Glycerine monostearate is a food additive used as a thickening, emulsifying, anticaking, and preservative agent; an emulsifying agent for oils, waxes, and solvents; a protective coating for hygroscopic powders; a solidifier and control release agent in pharmaceuticals; and a resin lubricant. It is also used in cosmetics and hair-care products.[5]
Glycerine monostearate is largely used in baking preparations to add "body" to the food. It is somewhat responsible for giving ice cream and whipped cream their smooth texture. It is sometimes used as an antistaling agent in bread.

What Is It?
Glycerine monostearate and Glyceryl Stearate SE are esterification products of glycerin and stearic acid. Glycerine monostearate is a white or cream-colored wax-like solid.
Glycerine monostearate SE is a "Self-Emulsifying" form of Glycerine monostearate that also contains a small amount of sodium and or potassium stearate.

In cosmetics and personal care products, Glycerine monostearate is widely used and can be found in lotions, creams, powders, skin cleansing products, makeup bases and foundations, mascara, eye shadow, eyeliner, hair conditioners and rinses, and suntan and sunscreen products.

Scientific Facts:
Glycerine monostearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid, a fatty acid obtained from animal and vegetable fats and oils.
Glyceryl Stearate SE is produced by reacting an excess of stearic acid with glycerin. The excess stearic acid is then reacted with potassium and/or sodium hydroxide yielding a product that contains Glycerine monostearate as well as potassium stearate and/or sodium stearate.

Glycerine monostearate is the natural glyceryl ester of glycerin and stearic acid. It offers excellent hydration and moisturization. It acts as a non-ionic opacifier, thickener, emollient and formulation stabilizer. It is used in skin care and body care applications.

Glycerine monostearate is classified as :
Emollient
Emulsifying

Learn all about Glycerine monostearate, including how it's made, and why Puracy uses Glycerine monostearate in our products.
Derived from: coconut
Pronunciation: (ˈglis-rəl stē-ə-ˌrāt)
Type: Naturally-derived
Other names: monostearate
What Is Glycerine monostearate?
Glycerine monostearate, also called Glycerine monostearate, is a white or pale yellow waxy substance derived from palm kernel, olives, or coconuts.

Glyceryl stearate (Glycerine monostearate) is one of the most commonly used ingredients in personal care formulations. But it’s a material that is not well understood by most formulators. Glycerine monostearate (EU) is normally used as a low-HLB thickening agent in lamellar gel (EU) network (LGN)-based oil-in-water emulsions, often combined with fatty alcohols.

LGN-based emulsions containing thickening polymers are the most common type of oil-in-water formulations sold globally. Most Glycerine monostearate used in personal care products should actually be called glyceryl distearate (EU), since many common grades only contain around 40% alpha monostearate (EU), 5% glyceryl tristearate (EU), and 50% glyceryl distearate.

There are also grades commercially available that contain 30%, 60%, and 90% Glycerine monostearate. The 90% alpha mono grades can only be produced by molecular distillation and are widely used in the food industry.

Functionally, there is a big difference in performance if you use a 90% versus 40% mono. A 90% mono has a higher melting point (69°C versus 58-63°C), lighter skin feel, and a higher HLB (EU) (~4-5, versus ~3). The higher HLB of the 90% mono enables you to form LGNs much easier with lower emulsifier levels and energy than when using cetyl (EU)/stearyl alcohol (EU). There are also self-emulsifying (SE) grades of Glycerine monostearate available, which are typically combined with PEG 100 stearate (EU), potassium stearate (EU), or sodium lauryl sulfate (EU).

Glycerine monostearate
Glycerine monostearate is created by the esterification of glycerin and stearic acid. Glycerine monostearate creates an excellent emulsion and when used in combination with other emulsifiers, creates a stable lotion.
Characteristics
An interesting characteristic of Glycerine monostearate is the ability to make the oils which are combined in the emulsion non greasy, so for example Sunflower can be combined, without adding greasiness to the final product, allowing creams and lotions to be produced which carry the properties of the oil without the greasiness.
Glycerine monostearate can be used to pearlise shower gel, shampoo and hand wash if added in combination with glycerine.

How to use
Heat the Glycerine monostearate to 60c - 70c within the oil stage of your formulations. Ensure the Glycerine monostearate is fully dissolved into your oil stage (use agitation if required) in order to minimise the risk of graininess in your final formulation.

Precautions
At pure usage levels it can cause irritation to the skin.

When blending always take the following precautions:
Use gloves (disposable are ideal)
Take care when handling hot oils
Wear eye protection
Work in a well ventilated room
Keep ingredients and hot oils away from children
If ingested, seek immediate medical advice
If contact made with eyes, rinse immediately with clean warm water and seek medical advice if in any doubt.
Safety First
In addition to our precautions and general safety information, we always recommend keeping a first aid kit nearby. You are working with hot water and oils, accidents can happen, so always be prepared!

Is Glycerine monostearate Safe?
Toxicity
The safety of PEG compounds has been called into question in recent years. The questioning of the safety of this ingredient is due to toxicity concerns that result from impurities found in PEG compounds. The impurities of concern are ethylene oxide and 1,4 dioxane, both are by-products of the manufacturing process. Both 1,4 dioxane and ethylene oxide have been suggested to be linked with breast and uterine cancers. While these impurities may have been a concern previously, ingredient manufacturers and improved processes have eliminated the risk of impurities in the final product. The level of impurities that were found initially in PEG manufacturing was low in comparison to the levels proposed to be linked to cancers. Longitudinal studies or studies over a long period of use of PEG compounds have not found any significant toxicity or any significant impact on reproductive health. When applied topically, Glycerine monostearate is not believed to pose significant dangers to human health. It doesn’t penetrate deeply into the skin and isn’t thought to have bioaccumulation concerns when used topically.

Irritation
Through research, PEG compounds have exhibited evidence that they are non-irritating ingredients to the eyes or the skin. This research used highly concentrated forms of the ingredient, concentrations that would not be found in your skincare products. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel found PEG compounds to be non-photosensitizing and non-irritating at concentrations up to 100%. However, despite the evidence suggesting that PEG compounds are non-irritating, some research has indicated that irritation can occur when the skin is broken or already irritated. In a study that was trialing the use of PEG containing antimicrobial cream on burn patients, some patients experienced kidney toxicity. The concentration of PEG compounds was identified to be the culprit. Given that there was no evidence of toxicity in any study of PEGs and intact skin, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel amended their safety guidelines to exclude the use of PEG containing products on broken or damaged skin.

Is Glycerine monostearate Vegan?
Depending on the source of the stearic acid used to make Glycerine monostearate, it may be vegan. Most of the time, stearic acid is derived from plants. However, it can also be derived from animal origin. If it is of animal origin, the product has to comply with animal by-product regulation. Check with the brand you are thinking of using to determine whether their Glycerine monostearate is derived from a plant or animal source.

Why Is Glycerine monostearate Used?
Emulsifier
Glycerine monostearate is included in skincare and beauty products for a variety of reasons, ranging from making the skin softer to helping product formulations better keep their original consistency.
As an emollient, Glycerine monostearate is included within skincare product formulations to give the skin a softer feel. It achieves this through strengthening the skin’s moisture barrier by forming a thin fatty layer on the skin’s surface, which prevents moisture loss and increases overall hydration. This moisturizing effect increases the hydration of skin cells, which in turn makes the skin softer and boosts skin health.

Texture
Another use for Glycerine monostearate has to do with its emulsification properties. Emulsifiers are valued in the skincare and personal care industries because of their ability to mix water and oils. Without this ability, the oils in many formulations would begin to separate from the water molecules, thus undermining product texture and consistency. Glycerine monostearate is also used to help to cleanse through mixing oil and dirt so that it can be rinsed away.

Surfactant
Lastly, Glycerine monostearate can also act as a surfactant, when used in body and facial cleansers. Surfactants disrupt surface tension, helping to mix water and oil. This characteristic helps the ingredient cleanse the skin by mixing oil with water, lifting dirt trapped inside the skin’s oils, and rinsing it away from the skin.

What Types of Products Contain Glycerine monostearate?
There are many products in the skin and personal care industry that are formulated with Glycerine monostearate because of its benefits to formulations and its relative safety. Facial cleansers, shampoos, lotions, and face creams have all been known to contain this ingredient. If you’ve had problems with this ingredient before, or if your doctor has advised you to stay away from Glycerine monostearate, it’s vital to read ingredient labels for any personal care product as it has many applications.

What are PEGs?
You have probably noticed that many of cosmetics and personal care products you use have different types of PEGs among ingredients. PEG, which is the abbreviation of polyethylene glycol, is not a definitive chemical entity in itself, but rather a mixture of compounds, of polymers that have been bonded together. Polyethylene is the most common form of plastic, and when combined with glycol, it becomes a thick and sticky liquid.
PEGs are almost often followed by a number, for example PEG-6, PEG-8, PEG 100 and so on. This number represents the approximate molecular weight of that compound. Typically, cosmetics use PEGs with smaller molecular weights. The lower the molecular weight, the easier it is for the compound to penetrate the skin. Often, PEGs are connected to another molecule. You might see, for example, Glycerine monostearate as an ingredient. This means that the polyethylene glycol polymer with an approximate molecular weight of 100 is attached chemically to stearic acid.
In cosmetics, PEGs function in three ways: as emollients (which help soften and lubricate the skin), as emulsifiers (which help water-based and oil-based ingredients mix properly), and as vehicles that help deliver other ingredients deeper into the skin.

What effect do Glycerine monostearate have on your skin?
Polyethylene glycol compounds have not received a lot of attention from consumer groups but they should. The most important thing to know about PEGs is that they have a penetration enhancing effect, the magnitude of which is dependent upon a variety of variables. These include: both the structure and molecular weight of the PEG, other chemical constituents in the formula, and, most importantly, the overall health of the skin.
PEGs of all sizes may penetrate through injured skin with compromised barrier function. So it is very important to avoid products with PEGs if your skin is not in best condition. Skin penetration enhancing effects have been shown with PEG-2 and PEG-9 stearate.
This penetration enhancing effect is important for three reasons: 1) If your skin care product contains a bunch of other undesirable ingredients, PEGs will make it easier for them to get down deep into your skin. 2) By altering the surface tension of the skin, PEGs may upset the natural moisture balance. 3) Glycerine monostearate are not always pure, but often come contaminated with a host of toxic impurities.

Emulsifiers
Emulsifiers are used to aid the incorporation and stabilization of air bubbles in the batter, especially in the presence of fats or oils. The most commonly used emulsifiers for this purpose are glycerol monostearate (Glycerine monostearate) and polyglycerol esters, with the former being the more effective of the two on a weight-for-weight basis. Both emulsifiers are commonly used in a paste form, i.e., dispersed in water with other ingredients which promote gel stability. Emulsifiers like Glycerine monostearate may exist in a number of forms when dispersed in water and it is important it is in the active alpha-gel form when used for cake making.

Without Glycerine monostearate the egg protein will largely stabilize the air bubbles and the sponge will have a reasonable volume, but often with an area of coarse open-cell structure in the crumb. The addition of a small level of Glycerine monostearate somewhat unexpectedly produces a worse cake, with a dip in the top surface. It is apparent from this result that the Glycerine monostearate and the egg proteins do not combine their stabilizing power. At low levels the Glycerine monostearate is able to stabilize the bubbles at low temperatures, but it cannot continue to do so as the temperature rises and the bubbles expand during baking. Further increases in the level of added Glycerine monostearate eventually provide a stable batter and improved cake quality.

Cream Liqueurs
Cream liqueurs are popular beverages that use the preservative powers of alcohol for a long shelf-life. Typically, the liqueurs contain 15% fat from the cream, 19% sucrose, and 14% alcohol. Higher-proof products contain 10% fat and 19% alcohol. Emulsification and emulsion stability are provided by sodium caseinate with a fat:caseinate ratio of 1:5, i.e., 3% caseinate in standard liqueurs and 2% caseinate in high-proof liqueurs. Other emulsifiers may be added (e.g., glycerol monostearate (Glycerine monostearate) at 0.34%) to give extra emulsion stability. The most common form of destabilization was found to be calcium-induced aggregation of fat globules, so sodium citrate was introduced into the formula at a level of approximately 0.16% to sequester free calcium in the serum of the liqueur. Some care is required in the use of the citrate as calcium citrate crystals may precipitate from the liqueur if used in excess. The liqueurs are manufactured by dispersing the sodium caseinate and sodium citrate in water, adding the cream and Glycerine monostearate to give a cream base. Ethanol and dissolved sucrose are then added to form a preemulsion that is homogenized to give the final product. The mixing and homogenization are conducted at approximately 55 °C. The ethanol can come from a variety of spirits, and flavors are added to differentiate individual brands of product. Extensive homogenization (e.g., twice at 17.5 MPa and twice at 4 MPa) assists in yielding a stable emulsion. Lack of sufficient homogenization can lead to formation of a ‘neck plug’ of aggregated fat during storage.

Additives
The incorporation of yeast (0.5%) or yogurt (10%) softens the texture, which is also retained during storage. Emulsifiers or surfactants, such as glycerol monostearate, sucrose esters, and sodium stearoyl lactylate (SSL), and the enzyme, amylase, also improve the texture of a chapati as well as its keeping quality. The use of glycerol monostearate (Glycerine monostearate) in nan improves its texture. Incorporation of SSL and DATEM (diacetyl tartaric acid esters of monoglycerides) improves the softness of South Indian parotha. Cysteine, HCl at a level of 50 ppm further improves the machinability of the dough and texture of South Indian parotha. (See EMULSIFIERS | Organic Emulsifiers; ENZYMES | Uses in Food Processing.)