Database/Film Forming/Hydroxypropyl Chitosan
Mostly petroleum · ISO 16128

Is Hydroxypropyl Chitosan natural?

Mostly not. Natural chitosan backbone heavily substituted with petrochemical propylene-oxide-derived hydroxypropyl groups, leaving under half the mass natural.

INCI nameHydroxypropyl Chitosan
CAS84069-44-3
FunctionFilm Forming
FeedstockChitosan, from crustacean-shell or fungal chitin, reacted with…

How we scored it

Chitosan trimer backbone C18H33N3O12 483 Da natural; hydroxypropyl (propylene oxide) substituents C33H68O12 657 Da petrochemical → 483/1140 ≈ 0.42.
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, from crustacean-shell or fungal chitin, reacted with petrochemical propylene oxide to add hydroxypropyl groups for water solubility. Degree of substitution varies by grade.

In plain English

A film-forming ingredient made from chitosan, from crustacean shells or fungi, modified with hydroxypropyl groups to improve solubility. Used to form a light film on skin or hair.

CosIng definition: Chitosan, product with methyloxirane

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