A PEG-9 ester of ricinoleic acid from castor oil. With 9 PEG units, this ingredient is slightly more hydrophilic than PEG-8 Ricinoleate, making it an excellent choice for lighter emulsions and lotions. It provides effective O/W emulsification, mild skin conditioning, and a soft, non-tacky after-feel in finished products.
Key Skin Benefits
+ Reliable O/W emulsification — suitable for fluid emulsions up to medium-viscosity creams
+ Soft skin feel — leaves a pleasant, non-greasy after-feel
+ Castor oil benefits — ricinoleic acid has inherent emollient and conditioning properties
Pros
+ CIR-reviewed — safe for cosmetic applications
+ Renewable castor oil source — plant-based and sustainable
+ Non-comedogenic — suitable for facial use
+ Works well in combination with fatty alcohols (e.g., cetearyl alcohol) for enhanced stability
Cons
− PEG content — ethoxylation risk factors apply
− Limited independent research — safety data comes primarily from CIR class review
− May need co-emulsifier for very rich formulations
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 %
Light lotions
1-5%
Serum-emulsions
0.5-3%
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/