How we scored it
Where it comes from
Made by ethoxylating oleochemical cetearyl alcohol with petroleum-derived ethylene oxide to a higher EO count for water solubility. Cosmetic-grade cetearyl alcohol is typically oleochemical.
In plain English
An emulsifying and cleansing ingredient made from natural fatty alcohols combined with 18 units of ethylene oxide, a petroleum-derived building block. Its longer chain makes it more water-soluble for cleansers.
CosIng definition: C16-18 alcohols, ethoxylated (18 mol EO average molar ratio)
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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.
- 2CETEARETH-18. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
- 3CETEARETH-18. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=CETEARETH-18