Database/Emulsifying Surfactant/C12-15 Pareth-12
100% petroleum · ISO 16128

Is C12-15 Pareth-12 natural?

No. The C12-15 alcohol is an odd-and-even-carbon oxo blend made from petrochemical olefins, not a coconut or palm fatty alcohol, so neither the alcohol nor the ethylene-oxide chain counts as natural. Same ruling as C12-15 Alcohols and Trideceth-9.

INCI nameC12-15 Pareth-12
CAS68131-39-5
FunctionEmulsifying Surfactant · Cleansing Surfactant
FeedstockPetrochemical C12-15 oxo alcohols ethoxylated with about 12…

How we scored it

C12-15 alcohol blend (average C13.5, about 207 Da) made by hydroformylation of petrochemical C11-14 olefins + 12 EO (12×44.05 = 528.6 Da, petrochemical ethylene oxide) → 0/total = 0.0.
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

Petrochemical C12-15 oxo alcohols ethoxylated with about 12 units of ethylene oxide.

In plain English

An emulsifying and cleansing surfactant made from a coconut-derived fatty alcohol reacted with twelve units of ethylene oxide. Helps blend oil and water and helps other surfactants clean and foam.

CosIng definition: Alcohols, C12-15, ethoxylated (12 mol EO average molar ratio)

Natural alternatives with the same function

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 Behenic Acid 100% natural origin

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 C10-16 Alkyl Glucoside 100% natural origin

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 C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside 100% natural origin

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 C18-36 Acid 100% natural origin

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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. 2C12-15 PARETH-12. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  3. 3C12-15 PARETH-12. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=C12-15%20PARETH-12