Database/Cleansing/Laureth-40
Mostly petroleum · ISO 16128

Is Laureth-40 natural?

Mostly not. Lauryl alcohol from coconut or palm kernel oil is ethoxylated with 40 petrochemical ethylene-oxide units, which dominate the mass.

INCI nameLaureth-40
CAS9002-92-0
FunctionCleansing · Fragrance
FeedstockMade by reacting lauryl alcohol, typically from coconut…

How we scored it

Lauryl alcohol (C12, 186 Da, natural/coconut) + 40x ethylene oxide (40x44=1762 Da, petrochemical). 186/1948 = 0.10.
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 reacting lauryl alcohol, typically from coconut oil, with 40 mol ethylene oxide derived from petrochemical feedstock. The long ethoxylate chain makes up most of the molecule's mass.

In plain English

A cleansing ingredient made from coconut-derived fatty alcohol extended with a long lab-made chain. Used in shampoos and fragranced washes to help them foam.

CosIng definition: Poly(oxy-1,2-ethanediyl), .alpha.-dodecyl-.omega.-hydroxy-

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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. 2LAURETH-40. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  3. 3LAURETH-40. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=LAURETH-40