Ingredient Database > Thickeners
Comments PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate is a very common ingredient in shampoos, and is also used in many skincare products, including well-known brands like CeraVe and LaRoche Posay. Although PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate is a surfactant with both cleansing and emulsifying properties, it’s frequently utilized as a thickener—one of its trade names is Rethick PTS150, where it’s presented as an alternative to the potentially problematic Cocamide DEA and Cocamide MEA.
Because of the fatty acid contained in the stearic acid—seen from the “tetrastearate” in its name, tetra (meaning four) and stearate, indicating groups of stearic acid (a type of fatty acid)—it is believed that PEG-150 pentaerythrityl tetrastearate can be be metabolized by some Malassezia spp. and thus is not safe for those with fungal acne.((Dobler, D.; Schmidts, T.; Wildenhain, S.; Seewald, I.; Merzhäuser, M.; Runkel, F. Impact of Selected Cosmetic Ingredients on Common Microorganisms of Healthy Human Skin. Cosmetics 2019, 6, 45. https://doi.org/10.3390/cosmetics6030045)) In essence, certain compounds can act as food for the fungi (primarily Malassezia follliculitis yeast, or MF for short) which cause fungal acne, exacerbating symptoms.