Database/Emollient/Cetyl Laurate
100% natural origin · ISO 16128

Is Cetyl Laurate natural?

Yes. Ester of two fatty-chain oleochemicals (cetyl alcohol, lauric acid), typically from coconut/palm kernel oil; no petrochemical fragment.

INCI nameCetyl Laurate
CAS20834-06-4
FormulaC28H56O2 · 424.7 Da
FunctionEmollient · Skin Conditioning
FeedstockMade by esterifying cetyl alcohol with lauric acid,…

How we scored it

Cetyl alcohol (C16) 242.4 Da + lauric acid (C12) 200.3 Da − H2O 18.0 Da = 424.7 Da, both oleochemical → 1.0.
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 cetyl alcohol with lauric acid, both commonly derived from coconut or palm kernel oil. A minor synthetic Ziegler-alcohol variant of cetyl alcohol exists.

In plain English

A skin- and hair-conditioning emollient made from two fatty acid derivatives, typically sourced from coconut or palm kernel oil. It gives creams and lotions a smooth, silky feel.

Structure

2D structure of Cetyl Laurate

hexadecyl dodecanoate

PubChem CID 88709 ↗

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. 2Cetyl Laurate. PubChem CID 88709. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3CETYL LAURATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4CETYL LAURATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=CETYL%20LAURATE