Emulsifier Tween is a widely used non-ionic emulsifier belonging to the polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid ester family. It also appears under several other names, including polyoxyethylated sorbitan fatty acid ester, sorbitan fatty acid ester polyoxyethylene ether, and ethoxylated sorbitan fatty acid ester. Buyers sourcing this ingredient may encounter any of these terms depending on the supplier or region, so it is useful to recognize them as referring to the same class of material.
Within this range, two products stand out as the most commonly used: Emulsifier T20 and Emulsifier T80.
Emulsifier T20 — CAS No. 9005-64-5
Emulsifier T80 — CAS No. 9005-65-6
TWEEN 20 and TWEEN 80 are both non-ionic emulsifiers in the polyoxyethylene fatty acid ester class, but the fatty acid each one incorporates gives them distinctly different hydrophilic and lipophilic properties.
TWEEN 20 uses lauric acid as its hydrophobic chain, which makes the molecule predominantly hydrophilic and readily soluble in water. This makes it well suited for evenly dispersing small quantities of oils, fragrances, or essential oils within aqueous systems. It is commonly used in cosmetic toners and serums, as well as in food and pharmaceutical formulations that require water-soluble emulsification, giving products a light, refreshing texture.
TWEEN 80 uses oleic acid as its hydrophobic chain, which enhances its lipophilicity and makes it better suited for emulsifying systems with a higher oil content. It stabilizes the oil phase within water to form emulsions and helps prevent separation or breakdown over time. TWEEN 80 is frequently used in lotions, creams, pharmaceutical preparations, food emulsifiers, and certain industrial emulsification systems, delivering a richer and more stable emulsification effect than T20 in high-oil-load formulations.
Because of their differing properties, TWEEN 20 and TWEEN 80 tend to serve different roles across industries:
Cosmetics: TWEEN 20 is often chosen for lightweight, water-based formulations such as toners and serums, while TWEEN 80 is favored in richer products such as lotions and creams.
Food: Both are used as food-grade emulsifiers, with selection depending on the oil-to-water ratio of the formulation.
Pharmaceuticals: Both are used in pharmaceutical preparations requiring stable emulsification, from water-soluble solutions to oil-in-water emulsions.
Industrial applications: TWEEN 80 is also used in certain industrial emulsification systems that require long-term stability of oil-in-water mixtures.
In practical terms, TWEEN 20 is generally chosen to help oil-soluble substances dissolve into an aqueous phase, while TWEEN 80 is chosen to maintain emulsion stability in systems with a higher oil content. The right choice depends largely on the oil-to-water ratio in your formulation:
For formulations with a low oil content that need a light, water-soluble emulsification, TWEEN 20 is typically the better fit.
For formulations with a higher oil content that need long-term emulsion stability, TWEEN 80 is typically the better fit.
The two emulsifiers are also frequently used in combination, allowing formulators to fine-tune the emulsification balance according to their specific oil-to-water ratio. If you are unsure which grade — or combination — best suits your formulation, feel free to contact us with your product requirements. We can help recommend the right emulsifier based on your application and provide product specifications, COAs, or samples upon request.
