PEG-60 SHEA BUTTER GLYCERIDES

INCI: PEG-60 SHEA BUTTER GLYCERIDES | Function: Emollient, Skin Conditioning | Type: Moisturizer

What Is PEG-60 SHEA BUTTER GLYCERIDES?

A PEG-60 ester of shea butter glycerides — the glycerol-bound fatty acid fraction of shea butter. By esterifying shea butter's glyceride component with a long PEG chain (60 units), this ingredient becomes a highly water-soluble emollient that delivers the moisturizing and conditioning benefits of shea butter in clear and translucent cosmetic products.

Key Skin Benefits

+ Water-soluble shea emollient — delivers shea butter benefits in toners, mists, and clear serums
+ Glyceride fraction — retains shea's fatty acid profile (stearic, oleic, linoleic acids)
+ Deep moisturization — provides conditioning without the occlusivity of pure shea butter

Pros

+ Shea butter benefits supported by extensive ethnobotanical and clinical literature
+ CIR-reviewed — PEG shea derivatives considered safe
+ Plant-derived — renewable shea butter source
+ Non-comedogenic — PEG modification eliminates pore-clogging potential
+ Good for clear formulations — higher PEG makes it more transparent than PEG-50 Shea Butter

Cons

− Very high PEG content (60 units) — increased ethoxylation impurity concern
− Heavily processed — far removed from the original natural butter
− Limited specific clinical data on PEG-60 Shea Butter Glycerides
− Shea butter tree nut origin — extremely rare allergic potential

Specifications

Property	Value
Usage Areas	Face, Eye, Body
Product Type	Leave-On, Rinse-Off
Source	Semi-synthetic
Natural Level	Natural-derived

Safety Ratings

Metric	Rating
Skin Sensitivity	1/5 (very low)
Comedogenic Rating	0/5
EWG Score	1/10

Regional Regulatory Limits

Region	Leave-on %	Rinse-off %	Status
EU (CosIng)	No limit	No limit	Allowed
US (CIR/FDA)	No limit	No limit	Allowed
Japan (MHLW)	No limit	No limit	Allowed
ASEAN	No limit	No limit	Allowed
China (NMPA)	No limit	No limit	Allowed

Typical Usage % by Product Type

Product Type	Typical %
Clear serums	1-5%
Hydrating mists	0.5-3%
Gel moisturizers	1-5%

References

CIR (2018) — Safety Assessment of Shea Butter-Derived Ingredients as Used in Cosmetics.
Lin TK et al. (2018) — Anti-Inflammatory and Skin Barrier Repair Effects of Topical Application of Some Plant Oils. Int J Mol Sci. PMID: 29280987.
CosIng (2025) — European Commission Cosmetic Ingredient Database. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/
EWG Skin Deep — Cosmetic Ingredient Database. https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/
Akihisa T et al. (2010) — Anti-inflammatory and chemopreventive effects of triterpene cinnamates from shea fat. J Oleo Sci. PMID: 20560011.

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