Database/Emulsifying Surfactant/Laureth-3
Mostly natural · ISO 16128

Is Laureth-3 natural?

Mostly. Lauryl alcohol is an oleochemical fatty alcohol and is natural; the short 3-unit ethylene oxide chain added to it is petrochemical.

INCI nameLaureth-3
CAS3055-94-5
FormulaC18H38O4 · 318.5 Da
FunctionEmulsifying Surfactant · Cleansing Surfactant
FeedstockLauryl alcohol, typically from coconut or palm kernel…

How we scored it

Lauryl alcohol (natural, 186 Da) + 3 mol ethylene oxide (petrochemical, 3×44=132 Da) = 318 Da total; 186/318 ≈ 0.59.
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

Lauryl alcohol, typically from coconut or palm kernel oil, is reacted with a small amount of petrochemical ethylene oxide, 3 moles, to improve water solubility. The fatty alcohol portion still makes up most of the molecule's weight.

In plain English

A mild cleansing ingredient made from coconut-derived fatty alcohol with a short synthetic chain attached to help it mix with water. More than half its weight still comes from the natural coconut-oil part.

CosIng definition: Alcohols, C12-14, ethoxylated; 2-[2-[2-(dodecyloxy)ethoxy]ethoxy]ethanol

Natural alternatives with the same function

Arachidic Acid 100% natural origin

A waxy fatty acid from peanut and other vegetable oils, used to thicken formulas and give creams and…

 Arachidyl Glucoside 100% natural origin

A gentle, sugar-based emulsifier used in creams and lotions to stabilize formulas without harsh surfactants. It's made from…

 Behenic Acid 100% natural origin

A long-chain fatty acid from vegetable oil, used to thicken and stabilise creams and conditioners. It is extracted…

 C10-16 Alkyl Glucoside 100% natural origin

A mild, sugar-based cleansing and emulsifying surfactant made by combining plant-derived fatty alcohols (coconut/palm) with glucose from starch.…

 C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside 100% natural origin

A mild, sugar-based cleansing ingredient made from coconut or palm fatty alcohols and glucose; helps cleanse skin and…

 C18-36 Acid 100% natural origin

A blend of long-chain plant fatty acids used as a mild cleanser and thickener, giving body and a…

Structure

2D structure of Laureth-3

2-[2-(2-dodecoxyethoxy)ethoxy]ethanol

PubChem CID 76458 ↗

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. 2Laureth-3. PubChem CID 76458. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3LAURETH-3. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4LAURETH-3. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=LAURETH-3