Phytosterols

Phytosterols (on gr. phyton = plant; "sterols" denotes a group of naturally occurring steroids), also called phytosterols, denotes a group of plant steroids. Phytosterols are found in plants in free form, or in ester or glycoside form. They are abundantly found in shoots and seedlings of plants. The most common phytosterols are stigmasterol, beta-sitosterol and campesterol.
Phytosterols are an important component of the lipid film of the skin. In cosmetic formulations phytosterols are used as skin care products and as emulsifiers (surface-active substances which are used as additives in cosmetic products in order to combine two non-miscible liquids - e.g. oil and water - into one emulsion).
In plants, phytosterols act as structural components in the cell membrane (their function in plants corresponds to the cholesterol in the cell membrane of animals).