Database/Antistatic/Dihydroxyethyl Cocamine Oxide
Mostly natural · ISO 16128

Is Dihydroxyethyl Cocamine Oxide natural?

Mostly. Coconut-derived alkyl chain is natural; the amine nitrogen and both ethylene-oxide-derived hydroxyethyl arms are petrochemical.

INCI nameDihydroxyethyl Cocamine Oxide
CAS61791-47-7
FunctionAntistatic · Cleansing
FeedstockMade by reacting coconut-derived fatty amine with ethylene…

How we scored it

Coco alkyl (~C12, ~169 Da, natural) vs amine N + 2 hydroxyethyl from ethylene oxide (~120 Da, petrochemical) / ~289 Da total ≈ 0.58.
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 reacting coconut-derived fatty amine with ethylene oxide, then oxidising the nitrogen. The alkyl tail is coconut-derived; the ethoxylate arms and amine nitrogen are petrochemical.

In plain English

A foaming and conditioning ingredient made from a coconut-derived fatty amine reacted with a petrochemical building block. Used in shampoos and cleansers to boost and stabilise lather.

CosIng definition: Ethanol, 2,2'-iminobis-, N-coco alkyl derivs., N-oxides

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