PEG-7 RICINOLEAMIDE

INCI: PEG-7 RICINOLEAMIDE | Function: Surfactant, Emulsifier | Type: Stabilizer

What Is PEG-7 RICINOLEAMIDE?

A PEG-7 amide of ricinoleic acid, the primary fatty acid from castor oil (85-95% of castor oil composition). This mild non-ionic surfactant and emulsifier provides gentle cleansing properties, helps stabilize foam in body washes and shampoos, and contributes light conditioning from the ricinoleic acid backbone.

Key Skin Benefits

+ Mild cleansing — gentle surfactant suitable for sensitive skin formulations
+ Foam stabilizing — improves the quality and longevity of lather in rinse-off products
+ Castor oil derived — ricinoleic acid has natural emollient properties

Pros

+ CIR-reviewed — fatty acid amides considered safe in rinse-off applications
+ Plant-derived starting material — castor oil is renewable
+ Good biodegradability
+ Gentle — lower irritation potential than sulfate-based surfactants

Cons

− PEG content — ethoxylation impurity risk
− Amide structure — residual amine concerns in older manufacturing (regulated now)
− Not for leave-on products — may cause irritation at higher concentrations

Specifications

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

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 %
Facial cleansers	1-5%
Body wash	1-5%

References

CIR (2018) — Safety Assessment of Castor Oil-Derived Ingredients as Used in Cosmetics.
Patel VR et al. (2016) — Castor oil: properties, uses, and optimization of processing parameters. Lipids in Health and Disease. PMID: 27592170.
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/

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