Steareth-8
AKA “Polyethylene glycol stearyl ether, PEG-8 Stearate, Steareth-8”
Surfactant
Ingredient Facts
Steareth-8
AKA: Polyethylene glycol stearyl ether, PEG-8 Stearate
Surfactant · Cleansing · EWG: 4
Plant-Derived
Cleanser
Emulsifier
Plant Oil
Not Clean
Poly(oxy-1,2-ethanediyl), .alpha.-octadecyl-.omega.-hydroxy- (8 mol EO average molar ratio)
Effective at 11.51%
CAS #
9005-00-9
See origin →
Functions
Cleansing
Makes oil and water mix so dirt, makeup, and sunscreen can actually be washed away. The reason your face wash foams.
Emulsifying
Forces oil and water to stay mixed instead of separating into layers. The unsung hero holding your lotion together.
Cleansing Surfactant
Emulsifier
Removes Impurities
Mixes Oil & Water
Traditional Use
Synthetic nonionic surfactant produced by ethoxylating stearic acid, developed for cosmetic formulations in the mid-20th century. Used to stabilize and emulsify oil-water systems.
Skin Types
●all-skin-types
Best For
General
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding Safe
Yes
EWG
4
CIR
Safe as used
Pregnancy
Yes
CIR Safety Findings
Not a Sensitizer
medical-approval
all-shades-safe
Concentration Guide
0.02%
23.0%
0%32%
Effective Range
CIR reported use: 18-23 | 0.02-0.4 | 0.2-1
Regulatory Agencies
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Steareth-8 Methacrylate Copolymer
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
Isosteareth-8
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
PEG-8 Stearate
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
Steareth-8
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
Steareth-80
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
PEG-8 Stearate
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
Verified Jun 2026
Data: CosIng · EWG · CIR