Oleth-10 carboxylic acid (inci)

Oleth(s)" are the polyoxyethylene ethers of oleyl alcohol, an unsaturated monohydric alcohol with the linear formula CH3(CH2)7CH= CH(CH2)7CH2OH (for comparison see: laurethe as polyoxyethylene ether of lauryl alcohol; stearethe as polyoxyethylene ether of stearyl alcohol, etc.). In the term "oleth", the numbering shown below indicates the average number of ethylene oxide units per mole. For oleth -10, for example, this is 10 ethylene oxide units per mole.
Oleth-10 carboxylic acid is used in cosmetic formulations. The polyoxyethylene ether acts as a surfactant(washing-active substance) and as a cleaning agent (cleans the body surface).