The polyoxyethylene ethers of hexyldecanol are referred to as hexyldeceth (for comparison see: laurethe as polyoxyethylene ether of lauryl alcohol; steareth as polyoxyethylene ether of stearyl alcohol, etc.).
Polyalkylene glycol ethers are non-ionic surfactants, the lipophilic part of which 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. Hexyldeceth-2, for example, is the INCI designation for a polyoxyethylene ether with 2 ethylene oxide units per mole.
Hexyldeceth-2 is used in cosmetic formulations. The substance acts as emulsifier (changes the interfacial tension of liquids like water and oil so that they can be mixed together), solvent, antifoam agent (suppresses foam formation; increases or reduces the viscosity of cosmetic products and skin care products.