Emulsifier having at least one pregelatinized, crosslinked starch selected from a C2-C5 hydroxyalkyl starch and a C2-C18 acyl starch and at least one starch derivative containing a hydrophobic group or both a hydrophilic group and a hydrophobic group. The starch derivative can be degraded by reaction with an exo-enzyme capable of cleaving 1,4- alpha -D-glucosidic linkages from non-reducing ends of starch, but incapable of cleaving 1,6- alpha -D-glucosidic linkages of starch. Such emulsifier achieves stable compositions that are salt tolerant and do not exhibit tackiness. Further, the emulsifier is ethoxylate-free and can be used in a variety of compositions, including cosmetic compositions.
