Database/Emollient/Isoeicosane
100% petroleum · ISO 16128

Is Isoeicosane natural?

No. CosIng description confirms the feedstock is a hydrogenated pentaisobutylene fraction from petrochemical C4 streams.

INCI nameIsoeicosane
CAS93685-79-1
FormulaC20H42 · 282.5 Da
FunctionEmollient · Skin Conditioning
FeedstockMade by oligomerising butadiene-free C4 petrochemical hydrocarbons (isobutylene)…

How we scored it

Hydrogenated oligomer of a petrochemical C4 (isobutylene) fraction; pure hydrocarbon, no natural fragment.
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

Made by oligomerising butadiene-free C4 petrochemical hydrocarbons (isobutylene) and hydrogenating the product. This is a purely synthetic hydrocarbon with no natural-feedstock route.

In plain English

A silky emollient and solvent built from polymerised, hydrogenated petrochemical hydrocarbon fragments. It gives lotions and makeup a light, non-greasy slip.

CosIng definition: Hydrocarbons, C4, 1,3-butadiene-free, polym., pentaisobutylene fraction, hydrogenated

Natural alternatives with the same function

Structure

2D structure of Isoeicosane

2-methylnonadecane

PubChem CID 137081 ↗

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. 2Isoeicosane. PubChem CID 137081. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3ISOEICOSANE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4ISOEICOSANE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=ISOEICOSANE