Database/Emollient/Isocetyl Alcohol
Route-dependent · ISO 16128

Is Isocetyl Alcohol natural?

It depends. Isocetyl alcohol (2-hexyldecanol) is a Guerbet dimer of octanol, which is supplied both from coconut oil and from petrochemical ethylene, so the score depends on the supplier's octanol.

INCI nameIsocetyl Alcohol
CAS36311-34-9
FormulaC16H34O · 242.44 Da
FunctionEmollient · Skin Conditioning
FeedstockTwo commercial routes: oleochemical C8 alcohol (1.0) or…

Why the score varies

This ingredient is made commercially by more than one route, and ISO 16128 scores the feedstock actually used. Without a supplier certificate of origin the value cannot be claimed.

RouteFeedstockNOIShareNotes
Oleochemical GuerbetCoconut/palm-kernel octanol dimerised1.00Common for cosmetic gradesNatural origin
Petrochemical GuerbetZiegler or oxo octanol from ethylene0.00CommonFully synthetic
Ask your supplier. A batch-specific certificate of origin or bio-based carbon test (ASTM D6866) settles which route applies.

How we scored it

C16 branched fatty alcohol, assumed oleochemical per the C8-C22 default; supplier note for a possible Ziegler/oxo route.
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

Two commercial routes: oleochemical C8 alcohol (1.0) or Ziegler/oxo C8 alcohol (0.0), dimerised by the Guerbet reaction. Ask the supplier which is used.

In plain English

A branched, C16 fatty alcohol typically made from vegetable oil feedstocks. It softens and conditions skin and helps control the thickness of formulas.

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Structure

2D structure of Isocetyl Alcohol

hexadecan-1-ol

PubChem CID 2682 ↗

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. 2Isocetyl Alcohol. PubChem CID 2682. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3ISOCETYL ALCOHOL. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4ISOCETYL ALCOHOL. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=ISOCETYL%20ALCOHOL