How we scored it
Cetearyl alcohol, C16-18 oleochemical, esterified with nonanoic acid, a natural co-product of oleic-acid splitting; both fragments natural.
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 esterifying cetearyl alcohol from vegetable oils with nonanoic acid, typically a by-product of azelaic acid production from oleic acid. No petrochemical route is standard.
In plain English
A lightweight emollient ester that gives skincare products a smooth, non-greasy feel. Made from vegetable-oil-derived fatty alcohol and fatty acid.
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.
- 2CETEARYL NONANOATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
- 3CETEARYL NONANOATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=CETEARYL%20NONANOATE