Database/Cleansing/Ceteareth-34
Mostly petroleum · ISO 16128

Is Ceteareth-34 natural?

Mostly not. Oleochemical fatty-alcohol core diluted by a larger petrochemical ethylene-oxide chain than Ceteareth-28, lowering the natural fraction further.

INCI nameCeteareth-34
CAS68439-49-6
FunctionCleansing · Emulsifying Surfactant
FeedstockStarts from palm/coconut-derived cetearyl alcohol, ethoxylated with 34…

How we scored it

C16-18 fatty alcohol 256 Da (natural) + 34 EO x44 Da = 1498 Da (petrochemical). 256/1754 = 0.15.
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

Starts from palm/coconut-derived cetearyl alcohol, ethoxylated with 34 moles of petrochemical ethylene oxide. The longer EO chain increases the non-renewable mass share versus lower-EO grades.

In plain English

A plant-derived fatty alcohol that has been chemically extended with a petrochemical ingredient (ethylene oxide) to help it blend oil and water. Used as an emulsifier and cleanser in creams and washes.

CosIng definition: C16-18 alcohols, ethoxylated (34 mol EO average molar ratio)

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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. 2CETEARETH-34. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  3. 3CETEARETH-34. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=CETEARETH-34