How we scored it
Where it comes from
Lauryl alcohol, typically from coconut or palm kernel oil, is reacted with 50 moles of petrochemical ethylene oxide. The long oxide chain dominates the final molecule's mass.
In plain English
A cleansing ingredient made from coconut-derived alcohol extended with a long petrochemical chain (ethylene oxide) to make it water-soluble. Used in shampoos and washes to help them foam and rinse clean.
CosIng definition: Poly(oxy-1,2-ethanediyl), .alpha.-dodecyl-.omega.-hydroxy-
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References
- 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.
- 2LAURETH-50. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
- 3LAURETH-50. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=LAURETH-50