Oleth-4
AKA “3, 6, 9, 12-Tetraoxatriacont-21-en-1-ol, 103622-85-1, DTXSID30702166, RefChem:272220, DTXCID70652914, 2-[2-[2-(2-octadec-9-enoxyethoxy)ethoxy]ethoxy]ethanol, SCHEMBL30104751, ZNVICELHBCNKIF-UHFFFAOYSA-N”
Surfactant
Ingredient Facts
Oleth-4
AKA: 3, 6, 9, 12-Tetraoxatriacont-21-en-1-ol, 103622-85-1, DTXSID30702166, RefChem:272220, DTXCID70652914, 2-[2-[2-(2-octadec-9-enoxyethoxy)ethoxy]ethoxy]ethanol, SCHEMBL30104751, ZNVICELHBCNKIF-UHFFFAOYSA-N
Surfactant · Emulsifying · EWG: 3
Synthetic
Cleanser
Emulsifier
Not Clean
Poly(oxy-1,2-ethanediyl), .alpha.-9-(Z)-octadecenyl-.omega.-hydroxy (4 mol EO average molar ratio)
Effective at 9.03%
Formula
C26H52O5
Mol. Weight
444.70
CAS #
9004-98-2
Form
Liquid
See origin →
Functions
Emulsifying
Forces oil and water to stay mixed instead of separating into layers. The unsung hero holding your lotion together.
Emulsifier
Mixes Oil & Water
Traditional Use
Synthetic surfactant and emulsifier developed in the mid-20th century by ethoxylating oleyl alcohol. These polyethylene glycol derivatives were created to provide stable emulsification and solubilization properties in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.
Skin Types
●all-skin-types
Best For
General
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding Safe
Yes
EWG
3
CIR
Safe as used
Pregnancy
Yes
CIR Safety Findings
Not a Sensitizer
medical-approval
all-shades-safe
Concentration Guide
0.06%
18.0%
0%25%
Effective Range
CIR reported use: 0.1-18 | 0.3-10 | 1-4 | 0.06-10
Regulatory Agencies
Cetoleth-4
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
Hydrogenated Dimer Dilinoleth-40
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
Oleth-4
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
Oleth-40
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
Oleth-44
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
Oleth-45
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
Verified Jun 2026
Data: PubChem · CosIng · EWG · CIR