These are fatty acid esters which are given numbers of 20, 40, 61, 65, 80, 81, and 85 (e.g., Polysorbate 20, Polysorbate 40, Polysorbate 61, Polysorbate 65, Polysorbate 80, Polysorbate 81, and Polysorbate 85). They are used in many cosmetics to help dissolve natural oils in a water base medium. The book Life Extension (by Durk Pearson and Sandy Shaw) praises these substances for their ability to grow hair and “cure” dandruff, but some find them to be extremely drying to the scalp. Polysorbates are sometimes combined with essential fatty acids, the lipoid faction of aloe vera, and herbs to offset this tendency.

Polysorbates (Wikipedia)

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Polysorbates are a class of emulsifiers used in some pharmaceuticals and food preparation. They are commonly used in oral and topical pharmaceutical dosage forms. They are also often used in cosmetics to solubilize essential oils into water-based products. Polysorbates are oily liquids derived from ethoxylated sorbitan (a derivative of sorbitol) esterified with fatty acids. Common brand names for polysorbates include Kolliphor, Scattics, Alkest, Canarcel, and Tween.

Polysorbate 60, a compound used as a food additive in some pudding mixes to prevent scorching during preparation