Why the score varies
This ingredient is made commercially by more than one route, and ISO 16128 scores the feedstock actually used. Without a supplier certificate of origin the value cannot be claimed.
| Route | Feedstock | NOI | Share | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bio-based decarboxylation of coconut/palm fatty acids | coconut/palm kernel oil fatty acids | 1.00 | ~60% and growing | |
| Petroleum paraffin/isoparaffin distillate | crude oil refining stream | 0.00 | ~40% |
How we scored it
Where it comes from
Increasingly produced by catalytic decarboxylation of natural coconut/palm-kernel medium-chain fatty acids, yielding a fully natural-origin linear alkane. An older petroleum-paraffin-distillate route also exists under the same generic INCI name.
In plain English
A lightweight, silicone-like emollient made of simple hydrocarbon chains. Depending on the supplier, it's made either from coconut/palm fatty acids via a green-chemistry process, or refined from petroleum.
CosIng definition: C9-12 Alkane is a mixture of linear alkanes with 9 to 12 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain.
Natural alternatives with the same function
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Avena Sativa Seed Water 100% natural originAn oat hydrosol: the water collected when oat seeds are steam-distilled, used as a water-based solvent in skin…
C10-18 Triglycerides 100% natural originA light conditioning oil made from glycerin and a mix of plant fatty acids. It smooths and softens…
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride 100% natural originCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride is a popular ingredient in skincare and cosmetics, often described as a "fractionated coconut oil" derivative.…
Coconut Alkanes 100% natural originA lightweight, silky emollient oil used as a natural alternative to silicone. It's made entirely from coconut oil…
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.
- 2C9-12 ALKANE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
- 3C9-12 ALKANE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=C9-12%20ALKANE