Surfactants at various HLB values.
HLB value Surfactant function Miscibility in water
| 1 — 5 | Water-in-oil emulsifier | lmmiscible or poor dispersible |
| 5 — 8 | Water-in-oil emulsifier | Dispersible |
| 8 — 12 | Oil-in-water emulsifier Wetting agent | Fine particle size opaque to translucent dispersion |
| 12 — 15 | Oil-in-water emulsifier Detergent and solubiliser | Translucent dispersion to clearly soluble |
| 15 - 20 | Oil-in-water emulsifier Detergent and solubiliser | Clearly soluble |
