!Use with awareness
In our reference data, Sorbitan Sesquioleate can feed Malassezia (fungal acne).
What it is
Sorbitan sesquioleate is a sorbitan ester used as a lipophilic (water-in-oil) emulsifier and surfactant to stabilize creams and lotions. It is a formulation/base ingredient rather than a treatment active.
🍄 Fungal-acne trigger
Side effects reported in research
| Reported effect | How often | Notes |
|---|
| Allergic contact dermatitis | Uncommon | A recognized contact allergen, particularly in patch-test settings and in patients sensitized to topical corticosteroids or emulsifier-containing products. |
| Skin irritation | Rare | Mild irritation or redness may occur, especially on damaged or sensitive skin. |
| Cross-reactivity with sorbitan oleate/Span emulsifiers | Rare | Sensitized individuals may react to related sorbitan ester emulsifiers. |
Frequencies reflect typical cosmetic use reported in the literature, not a guarantee for your skin.
From published literature
Peer-reviewed papers on this ingredient, via PubMed.
- Final report on the safety assessment of sorbitan caprylate, sorbitan cocoate, sorbitan diisostearate, sorbitan dioleate, sorbitan distearate, sorbitan isostearate, sorbitan olivate, sorbitan sesquiisostearate, sorbitan sesquistearate, and sorbitan triisostearate International journal of toxicology · 2002
- Use of sorbitan sesquioleate in patch test preparations and patch testing with the substance-What do our results mean? Contact dermatitis · 2023
- Adding sorbitan sesquioleate to the European baseline series: Necessary, reasonable, or unavoidable? Contact dermatitis · 2019
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