Ceteth-4 has a Natural Origin Index (NOI) of 0.58 (scale 0–1) per ISO 16128. Cetyl alcohol is oleochemical; a handful of ethylene-oxide units make it water-dispersible, but the supplied formula looks mismatched to the stated ethoxylation level. An NOI of 0.58 means 58% of its molecular mass is traceable to a natural, renewable source.

Is Ceteth-4 natural? NOI 0.58

How we scored it

Cetyl alcohol 242 Da (natural) + stated 4 EO x44 Da petrochemical = 419 Da total; 242/419=0.58. Supplied formula (C56H114O21) implies ~20 EO, contradicting the '4 mol EO average' description; description trusted per instructions.

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 ethoxylating cetyl alcohol, from coconut or palm fatty acids, with about 4 moles of petrochemical ethylene oxide per the CosIng description.

In plain English

An emulsifier made from a coconut-derived fatty alcohol reacted with a small amount of a synthetic thickening chemical.

CosIng definition: Poly(oxy-1,2-ethanediyl), .alpha.-hexadecyl-.omega.-hydroxy- (4 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.
2CETETH-4. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
3CETETH-4. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=CETETH-4