Database/Emulsifying Surfactant/Methyl Gluceth-10
Mostly petroleum · ISO 16128

Is Methyl Gluceth-10 natural?

Mostly not. Natural glucose core diluted by a long petrochemical polyethylene glycol chain added via ethoxylation.

INCI nameMethyl Gluceth-10
CAS68239-42-9
FormulaC15H30O10 · 370.39 Da
FunctionEmulsifying Surfactant · Humectant
FeedstockMade by ethoxylating methyl glucoside (from corn glucose…

How we scored it

Methyl glucoside core C7H14O6 194 Da (natural) + 10 mol ethylene oxide ×44 Da = 440 Da (petrochemical) → 194/634 = 0.31.
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 ethoxylating methyl glucoside (from corn glucose and methanol) with about 10 moles of petrochemical ethylene oxide. No natural route exists for the ethoxylate chain itself.

In plain English

A moisturising, emulsifying ingredient made from corn sugar reacted with a synthetic ethylene-oxide chain. It helps blend oil and water and holds moisture in skin and hair products.

CosIng definition: Poly(oxy-1,2-ethanediyl), .alpha.-hydro-.omega.-hydroxy-, ether with methyl .beta.-d-glucopyranoside (4:1)

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 Methyl Gluceth-10

2-[[(2R,6R)-3,4,5-tris(2-hydroxyethoxy)-6-methoxyoxan-2-yl]methoxy]ethanol

PubChem CID 62247 ↗

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. 2Methyl Gluceth-10. PubChem CID 62247. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3METHYL GLUCETH-10. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4METHYL GLUCETH-10. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=METHYL%20GLUCETH-10