Database/Cleansing/Ammonium Coco-Sulfate
Mostly natural · ISO 16128

Is Ammonium Coco-Sulfate natural?

Mostly. Coconut fatty alcohol and sulfate are natural origin; ammonium comes from Haber-Bosch ammonia made from natural gas.

INCI nameAmmonium Coco-Sulfate
CAS90989-98-3
FunctionCleansing · Emulsifying Surfactant
FeedstockDominant route sulfates coconut or palm kernel fatty…

How we scored it

Coco alkyl sulfate (avg C12.9) 278.0 natural (coconut alcohol 181.9 + sulfate 96.1); ammonium NH4 18.0 petrochemical; 278.0/296.0 = 0.94.
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

Dominant route sulfates coconut or palm kernel fatty alcohol with sulfur trioxide and neutralises with ammonia. Petrochemical Ziegler alcohol is a minor alternative.

In plain English

A foaming cleansing agent made from coconut fatty alcohol that lifts oil and dirt in shampoos and body washes. It is the ammonium salt of coconut alcohol sulfate.

CosIng definition: Sulfuric acid, coco alkyl mono-ester, ammonium salt

Natural alternatives with the same function

References

  1. 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.
  2. 2AMMONIUM COCO-SULFATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  3. 3AMMONIUM COCO-SULFATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=AMMONIUM%20COCO-SULFATE