Is Acrylates/Steareth-20 Methacrylate Crosspolymer natural? NOI 0.03

Q: Is Acrylates/Steareth-20 Methacrylate Crosspolymer natural?

Acrylates/Steareth-20 Methacrylate Crosspolymer has a Natural Origin Index (NOI) of 0.03 (scale 0–1) per ISO 16128. Almost all mass is petrochemical acrylate/methacrylate backbone and crosslinker; only a small fatty-alcohol fragment in the minor comonomer is natural. An NOI of 0.03 means 3% of its molecular mass is traceable to a natural, renewable source.

How we scored it

Backbone is acrylic/methacrylic acid plus a crosslinker (0 natural); minor steareth-20 methacrylate comonomer (~22% natural from its stearyl part) assumed ~10% of mass -> ~0.02-0.03 overall.

What counts. ISO 16128-2 scores the atoms that remain in the final ingredient. Reagents, solvents, catalysts and protecting groups used during manufacture leave no mass behind and are not counted.

Where it comes from

A crosslinked acrylic polymer made from acrylic/methacrylic acid monomers, a pentaerythritol- or trimethylolpropane-allyl-ether crosslinker, and a minor steareth-20 methacrylate associative monomer, all petrochemical except the fatty-alcohol part of the minor monomer. Exact commercial monomer ratio is not disclosed.

In plain English

A synthetic thickening polymer used in creams and gels, built almost entirely from petroleum-derived acrylic building blocks with a small fatty-alcohol-based component.

CosIng definition: Acrylates/Steareth-20 Methacrylate Crosspolymer is a copolymer of steareth-20 methacrylate and one or more monomers consisting of acrylic acid, methacrylic acid or one of their simple esters, crosslinked with an allyl ether of pentaerythritol or an allyl ether of trimethylolpropane

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References

1ISO 16128-1:2016 and ISO 16128-2:2017 — Guidelines on technical definitions and criteria for natural and organic cosmetic ingredients and products. ISO, Geneva.
2ACRYLATES/STEARETH-20 METHACRYLATE CROSSPOLYMER. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
3ACRYLATES/STEARETH-20 METHACRYLATE CROSSPOLYMER. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=ACRYLATES/STEARETH-20%20METHACRYLATE%20CROSSPOLYMER