Database/Emollient/Ethylhexyl Oleate
Mostly natural · ISO 16128

Is Ethylhexyl Oleate natural?

Mostly. Oleic acid from vegetable or animal fat is natural, while 2-ethylhexanol is a propylene-based oxo alcohol and counts as petrochemical.

INCI nameEthylhexyl Oleate
CAS26399-02-0
FormulaC26H50O2 · 394.7 Da
FunctionEmollient
FeedstockOleic acid from palm, rapeseed or sunflower oil…

How we scored it

Oleoyl C18H33O 265 Da (vegetable oleic acid) natural; 2-ethylhexyloxy C8H17O 129 Da (oxo alcohol, petrochemical); 265.5 / 394.7 = 0.67.
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

Oleic acid from palm, rapeseed or sunflower oil is esterified with 2-ethylhexanol produced from propylene by hydroformylation and aldol chemistry. A bio-based 2-ethylhexanol is not a significant commercial route.

In plain English

A light, oily emollient that spreads easily and leaves skin feeling soft, used in creams, lotions and make-up. It joins oleic acid from vegetable oils with 2-ethylhexanol, an alcohol made from petrochemical propylene.

CosIng definition: 2-Ethylhexyl oleate

Natural alternatives with the same function

Acacia Dealbata Flower Wax 100% natural origin

A soft wax from mimosa flowers used to condition skin and add emollience. It is derived directly from…

 Acrocomia Aculeata Seed Butter 100% natural origin

A solid plant fat obtained from the seeds of the macauba palm, a South American tree, used to…

 Actinidia Chinensis Fruit Extract 100% natural origin

An extract made from kiwi fruit, used in cosmetics as a skin-conditioning and softening ingredient. Comes directly from…

 Actinidia Chinensis Seed Oil 100% natural origin

A plant oil pressed from kiwi seeds, used to soften and condition skin. It's a natural vegetable oil…

 Adansonia Digitata Fruit Extract 100% natural origin

An extract of baobab fruit, from the African baobab tree. Used as an emollient to soften and smooth…

 Adansonia Digitata Oil 100% natural origin

A rich vegetable oil pressed from the baobab tree's fruit pulp and leaves. Used to soften and condition…

Structure

2D structure of Ethylhexyl Oleate

2-ethylhexyl (Z)-octadec-9-enoate

PubChem CID 6438028 ↗

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 Oleate. PubChem CID 6438028. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3ETHYLHEXYL OLEATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4ETHYLHEXYL OLEATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=ETHYLHEXYL%20OLEATE