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Laureth-2

What Laureth-2 is & what it does

Laureth-2 is an ethoxylated fatty alcohol made from lauryl alcohol with about two units of ethylene oxide. It functions mainly as a surfactant and emulsifier, helping oil and water mix and contributing mild cleansing or solubilizing action. It is not a UV filter and has no active skincare role on its own. It is a common workhorse ingredient in cleansers, lotions, and emulsified sunscreens.

What is Laureth-2?

Laureth-2 is an ethoxylated fatty alcohol made from lauryl alcohol with about two units of ethylene oxide. It is used as a surfactant and emulsifier.

What does Laureth-2 do in sunscreen or skincare?

It helps oil and water mix and provides mild cleansing or solubilizing action, functioning as a surfactant and emulsifier. It is not a UV filter and has no active skincare role of its own.

Is Laureth-2 safe?

Laureth-type surfactants are widely used and generally considered safe in rinse-off and leave-on products. No specific concerns are flagged for it in our catalog.

Sunscreens with Laureth-2

We rate 3 sunscreens that contain it:

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