How we scored it
Ethanol (assumed fermentation-derived) esterified with palmitic acid (natural C16 fatty acid); both fragments natural, 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 fermentation ethanol, from corn, sugarcane or grain, with palmitic acid from palm or other vegetable oils. A minor petrochemical ethanol route exists but is not dominant in cosmetic supply.
In plain English
An emollient and fragrance ester made by combining ethanol, typically fermentation-derived, with palmitic acid from natural fats and oils.
Structure
ethyl hexadecanoate
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.
- 2Ethyl Palmitate. PubChem CID 12366. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
- 3ETHYL PALMITATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
- 4ETHYL PALMITATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=ETHYL%20PALMITATE