Database/Cleansing/Disodium Deceth-6 Sulfosuccinate
Mostly petroleum · ISO 16128

Is Disodium Deceth-6 Sulfosuccinate natural?

Mostly not. Coconut/palm-kernel-type decyl alcohol and the sulfonate/sodium are natural; the six-unit ethylene oxide chain and succinate backbone are petrochemical.

INCI nameDisodium Deceth-6 Sulfosuccinate
CAS68630-97-7
FunctionCleansing · Foam Boosting Surfactant
FeedstockMade by ethoxylating a coconut/palm-kernel-derived decyl (C10) alcohol…

How we scored it

Decanol (natural oleochemical, 158 Da) + SO3+2Na (natural per mineral rule, 126 Da) = 284 natural; 6x ethylene oxide minus 1H (263 Da, petrochemical) + succinate backbone (99 Da, petrochemical) = 362 → 284/647 ≈ 0.44.
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 a coconut/palm-kernel-derived decyl (C10) alcohol with six moles of ethylene oxide, then reacting with maleic anhydride/sodium bisulfite to form the disodium sulfosuccinate. A petrochemical (Ziegler/oxo) decyl alcohol route also exists, but oleochemical is standard for cosmetic grades.

In plain English

A mild, foam-boosting cleansing ingredient made from a coconut-type fatty alcohol reacted with several units of ethylene oxide and a small synthetic sulfonate group. Found in shampoos and washes to help them foam and rinse gently.

CosIng definition: Poly(oxy-1,2-ethanediyl), .alpha.-(3-carboxy-1-oxosulfopropyl)-.omega.-(decyloxy)-, disodium salt

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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. 2DISODIUM DECETH-6 SULFOSUCCINATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  3. 3DISODIUM DECETH-6 SULFOSUCCINATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=DISODIUM%20DECETH-6%20SULFOSUCCINATE