Database/Film Forming/Hydroxyethyl Chitosan
Mostly natural · ISO 16128

Is Hydroxyethyl Chitosan natural?

Mostly. Chitosan backbone from crustacean-shell chitin is natural; the assumed one hydroxyethyl (ethylene oxide) substitution per unit is petrochemical.

INCI nameHydroxyethyl Chitosan
CAS39280-86-9
FunctionFilm Forming · Viscosity Controlling
FeedstockChitosan is made by deacetylating chitin extracted from…

How we scored it

Assume molar substitution ~1.0: chitosan residue 161 Da (natural) + 1 EO 44 Da (petrochemical) = 205 Da; 161/205 = 0.79.
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

Chitosan is made by deacetylating chitin extracted from crustacean shells (or fungal sources). It is then reacted with petrochemical ethylene oxide to add hydroxyethyl groups for solubility.

In plain English

A modified form of chitosan, a natural polysaccharide from shellfish shells, treated with ethylene oxide to make it easier to dissolve. Forms a conditioning film on hair and skin.

CosIng definition: Chitosan, ethoxylated

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