Myreth-5 carboxylic acid (inci)

The polyoxyethylene ethers of myristyl alcohol (tetradecan-1-ol) are called myreth(s) (for comparison see: laurethe as polyoxyethylene ether of lauryl alcohol; steareth as polyoxyethylene ether of stearyl alcohol and others).

Polyalkylene glycol ethers are non-ionic surfactants whose lipophilic part consists of fatty alcohols (e.g. lauryl alcohol, palmitic alcohol, stearyl alcohols, etc.). The hydrophilic part is formed by short-chain polyethylene glycols (polyoxyethylene). In the designation of fatty alcohol polyglycol ethers, the inserted numbering means the average number of ethylene oxide units per mole. Myreth-5 carboxylic acid (carboxylic acid refers to general carboxylic acids), for example, contains the designation for a polyoxyethylene ether with 5 ethylene oxide units per mol.

Myreth-5 carboxylic acid is used in cosmetic formulations. The substance acts as a surfactant (washing-active substance) and cleans the body surface.