Surfactants and emulsifiers
37 ingredients in this family, 15 rated 3/5 or higher. Grouped by published comedogenic rating, highest first.
Cleansing agents and emulsifiers: sulfates, ethoxylates (-eth, PEG-), sorbitan esters, polysorbates and sugar esters.
5/5 — highest (3)
4/5 — high (3)
3/5 — moderate (9)
- 3/5Glyceryl Stearate SESelf-emulsifying grade rates higher than plain glyceryl stearate.
- 3/5Laureth-23Emulsifier, rated moderate.
- 3/5Oleth-5Graded in the original Fulton 1989 table at 3 (oleth-3 rates 5; ethoxylation lowers the grade).
- 3/5PEG-200 DilaurateGraded in the original Fulton 1989 table at 3.
- 3/5PEG-8 StearateEmulsifier, rated moderate.
- 3/5Sodium Laureth SulfateModerate; rinse-off context softens it.
- 3/5Sorbitan OleateEmulsifier, moderate.
- 3/5Sulfated Castor OilModified castor oil, rated moderate (plain castor oil rates 1).
- 3/5TEA-StearateGraded in the original Fulton 1989 table at 3.
2/5 — low-to-moderate (7)
- 2/5Ceteareth-20Graded in the original Fulton 1989 table at 2 alone; the cetearyl-alcohol combo grades 4.
- 2/5Oleth-10Emulsifier, low-moderate (oleth-3 rates far higher).
- 2/5PEG-150 DistearateGraded in the original Fulton 1989 table at 2.
- 2/5Sorbitan IsostearateGraded in the original Fulton 1989 table at 1–2 depending on source; higher kept.
- 2/5Sorbitan LaurateGraded in the original Fulton 1989 table at 1–2 depending on source; higher kept.
- 2/5Steareth-2Emulsifier, low-moderate.
- 2/5Steareth-20Emulsifier, low-moderate.
1/5 — low (5)
- 1/5Oleth-20Graded in the original Fulton 1989 table at 1.
- 1/5PEG-100 StearateLow.
- 1/5PEG-20 StearateGraded in the original Fulton 1989 table at 1.
- 1/5Polyglyceryl-4 IsostearateEmulsifier, rated low in published compilations.
- 1/5Sorbitan SesquioleateGraded in the original Fulton 1989 table at 0–1 depending on source; higher kept.
0/5 — not rated as comedogenic (10)
- 0/5Choleth-24Graded in the original Fulton 1989 table at 0.
- 0/5Cocamidopropyl BetaineMild surfactant, non-comedogenic.
- 0/5Emulsifying Wax NFGraded in the original Fulton 1989 table at 0 for comedogenicity.
- 0/5PEG-120 Methyl Glucose DioleateGraded in the original Fulton 1989 table at 0.
- 0/5PEG-5 Soya SterolGraded in the original Fulton 1989 table at 0.
- 0/5Polysorbate 20Non-comedogenic.
- 0/5Polysorbate 80Non-comedogenic.
- 0/5Sorbitan StearateGraded in the original Fulton 1989 table at 0.
- 0/5Sucrose DistearateGraded in the original Fulton 1989 table at 0.
- 0/5Sucrose StearateGraded in the original Fulton 1989 table at 0.
About these ratings
Every number is a published rabbit-ear assay grade (Fulton 1989 lineage), shown with its source and a confidence tier on the ingredient page. A rating describes a raw ingredient as tested, not a finished product: concentration, formulation and individual skin decide real-world behaviour. 3/5 and up is where the 1989 AAD symposium recommended caution. How we rate · full sortable table and CC-BY download.