Database/Emollient/Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate
Mostly natural · ISO 16128

Is Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate natural?

Mostly. Glucose and stearic acid are natural; only the small methyl group from methanol, used to cap the glucoside, is petrochemical.

INCI nameMethyl Glucose Sesquistearate
CAS68936-95-8
FormulaC68H133O18-3 · 1238.8 Da
FunctionEmollient · Emulsifying Surfactant
FeedstockGlucose from starch is converted to methyl glucoside…

How we scored it

Glucose−CH3 (methanol, petro, 15) + 1.5 stearic acid (400, natural) = 579 natural / 594 total = 0.97.
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.

How it’s made

Base-catalysed transesterification of methyl glucoside with methyl stearate. Each curved arrow moves one electron pair, and the film ends on the score above.

Where it comes from

Glucose from starch is converted to methyl glucoside using methanol, then esterified with about 1.5 moles of stearic acid from vegetable oil or tallow per glucoside unit. Only the small methoxy group is petrochemical.

In plain English

An emollient and emulsifier that softens skin and helps creams stay blended. Made from glucose (plant sugar) reacted with methanol and stearic acid (a fatty acid from vegetable or animal fat). Almost entirely plant-derived, with a very small petrochemical portion from the methanol step.

CosIng definition: D-Glucopyranoside, methyl, octadecanoate (2:3)

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Structure

2D structure of Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate

bis((2R,3S,4S,5R)-2-(hydroxymethyl)-6-methoxyoxane-3,4,5-triol);tris(octadecanoate)

PubChem CID 155145 ↗

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 Glucose Sesquistearate. PubChem CID 155145. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3METHYL GLUCOSE SESQUISTEARATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4METHYL GLUCOSE SESQUISTEARATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=METHYL%20GLUCOSE%20SESQUISTEARATE