Database/Cleansing/Ceteareth-5 Phosphate
Mostly natural · ISO 16128

Is Ceteareth-5 Phosphate natural?

Mostly. Cetearyl alcohol and the phosphate group are natural-origin; the 5-mole ethoxylate chain is petrochemical ethylene oxide.

INCI nameCeteareth-5 Phosphate
CAS106233-09-4
FunctionCleansing · Cleansing Surfactant
FeedstockMade by phosphorylating ethoxylated cetearyl alcohol, an oleochemical…

How we scored it

Cetearyl alcohol ~256 (natural) + 5 EO 220 (petrochemical) + phosphate ~80 (mineral, natural); natural 336/total 557=0.60.
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

Made by phosphorylating ethoxylated cetearyl alcohol, an oleochemical fatty alcohol reacted with petrochemical ethylene oxide. The phosphate group is mineral-derived.

In plain English

A cleansing ingredient made from a fatty alcohol, a petroleum-derived ethoxylate chain, and a mineral phosphate group. It helps products foam and rinse away.

CosIng definition: C16-18 alcohols, ethoxylated, phosphates (5 mol EO average molar ratio)

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. 2CETEARETH-5 PHOSPHATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  3. 3CETEARETH-5 PHOSPHATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=CETEARETH-5%20PHOSPHATE