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

Is Isocetyl Stearate natural?

It depends. Isocetyl alcohol is a Guerbet dimer of octanol, which is sold both from coconut oil and from petrochemical ethylene; the stearic acid is oleochemical, so the score depends on the alcohol route.

INCI nameIsocetyl Stearate
CAS25339-09-7
FormulaC34H68O2 · 508.9 Da
FunctionEmollient · Skin Conditioning
FeedstockTwo commercial routes for the branched C16 alcohol:…

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 Guerbet alcoholCoconut/palm-kernel octanol dimerised + palm stearic acid1.00Common for cosmetic gradesNatural origin
Petrochemical Guerbet alcoholZiegler or oxo octanol dimerised + palm stearic acid0.52CommonStearoyl fragment natural, alcohol petrochemical
Ask your supplier. A batch-specific certificate of origin or bio-based carbon test (ASTM D6866) settles which route applies.

How we scored it

Isocetyl alcohol (Guerbet C16, from natural fatty-alcohol condensation) esterified with stearic acid (natural, C18); 1.0.
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 for the branched C16 alcohol: oleochemical octanol (1.0 overall) or petrochemical octanol (about 0.5 overall). Ask the supplier which Guerbet alcohol is used.

In plain English

A rich emollient ester that smooths and conditions skin and hair without feeling greasy. It's built from a branched coconut-derived fatty alcohol joined to stearic acid, a common vegetable-oil fatty acid.

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Structure

2D structure of Isocetyl Stearate

14-methylpentadecyl octadecanoate

PubChem CID 91410 ↗

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 Stearate. PubChem CID 91410. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3ISOCETYL STEARATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4ISOCETYL STEARATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=ISOCETYL%20STEARATE