Database/Emollient/Dicetyl Adipate
Mostly natural · ISO 16128

Is Dicetyl Adipate natural?

Mostly. Cetyl alcohol fragments are oleochemical/natural (coconut/palm); the adipic acid backbone is predominantly petrochemical (cyclohexane oxidation).

INCI nameDicetyl Adipate
CAS26720-21-8
FormulaC38H74O4 · 595.0 Da
FunctionEmollient · Film Forming
FeedstockCetyl alcohol typically from coconut or palm kernel…

How we scored it

2x cetyl alcohol (oleochemical) 482.88 Da natural; adipic acid backbone (petrochemical) 112.13 Da → 482.88/595.01 = 0.81.
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

Cetyl alcohol typically from coconut or palm kernel oil (natural); adipic acid is overwhelmingly petrochemical (cyclohexane oxidation), with only a minor emerging bio-based route. Petrochemical adipic acid dominates commercial supply.

In plain English

A film-forming emollient made from a coconut- or palm-derived fatty alcohol and a mostly petroleum-based acid. It helps creams feel smooth and adds a light film to skin.

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Structure

2D structure of Dicetyl Adipate

dihexadecyl hexanedioate

PubChem CID 33586 ↗

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. 2Dicetyl Adipate. PubChem CID 33586. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3DICETYL ADIPATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4DICETYL ADIPATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=DICETYL%20ADIPATE