Ingredient glossary / Emulsifier
Sorbitan stearate
On the label: Sorbitan Stearate · Emulsifier
What it is
A low-HLB emulsifier usually paired with a polysorbate to make a stable cream.
Emulsifiers: Emulsifiers hold oil and water together so a cream stays a cream.
In the research
5 PubMed papers mention it with skin, cosmetics or hair; the three most recent:
- Enhanced skin penetration of berberine from proniosome gel attenuates pain and inflammation in a mouse model of osteoarthritis · Biomaterials science, 2022
- Dermal delivery of selected hydrophilic drugs from elastic liposomes: effect of phospholipid formulation and surfactants · The Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology, 2007
- The physicochemical characterization and in vitro/in vivo evaluation of natural surfactants-based emulsions as vehicles for diclofenac diethylamine · Drug development and industrial pharmacy, 2007
A paper is a paper, not a verdict: titles are listed so you can read them, and a study on cells or mice says little about a cream on a face.
Other emulsifiers
Dew & Balm describes ingredients from the public record and makes no claim about what a product will do for you. Statements about dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the FDA. If a product causes a reaction, stop using it; a reaction that spreads or affects breathing is a call to a doctor or 911.