Database/Emollient/Ethylhexyl Hydroxystearate
Mostly natural · ISO 16128

Is Ethylhexyl Hydroxystearate natural?

Mostly. The fatty-acid half comes from castor oil (hydrogenated ricinoleic acid); the branched alcohol half is a petrochemical Oxo-alcohol.

INCI nameEthylhexyl Hydroxystearate
CAS29710-25-6
FormulaC26H52O3 · 412.7 Da
FunctionEmollient
FeedstockEster of 12-hydroxystearic acid, made by hydrogenating castor…

How we scored it

12-Hydroxystearic acid, castor-oil derived, acyl fragment 283 Da + 2-ethylhexanol, petrochemical, alkoxy fragment 129 Da = 413 Da; 283/413 = 0.69.
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

Ester of 12-hydroxystearic acid, made by hydrogenating castor oil's ricinoleic acid, and 2-ethylhexanol, a petrochemical alcohol. No natural alternative to the alcohol half is used commercially.

In plain English

A rich emollient ester that gives creams a silky, cushioned feel. Combines a castor-oil-derived fatty acid with a synthetic branched alcohol.

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Structure

2D structure of Ethylhexyl Hydroxystearate

2-ethylhexyl 12-hydroxyoctadecanoate

PubChem CID 5463971 ↗

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. 2Ethylhexyl Hydroxystearate. PubChem CID 5463971. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3ETHYLHEXYL HYDROXYSTEARATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4ETHYLHEXYL HYDROXYSTEARATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=ETHYLHEXYL%20HYDROXYSTEARATE