Database/Cleansing Surfactant/MIPA-Laureth Sulfate
Mostly natural · ISO 16128

Is MIPA-Laureth Sulfate natural?

Mostly. The lauryl and sulfate portions are natural, but the single ethylene-oxide unit and the isopropanolamine counter-ion are petrochemical.

INCI nameMIPA-Laureth Sulfate
CAS83016-76-6
FormulaC17H39NO6S · 385.6 Da
FunctionCleansing Surfactant
FeedstockThe lauryl chain is typically coconut- or palm-kernel…

How we scored it

Lauryl-sulfate core natural (266.4 Da) + 1 EO petrochemical (44.05 Da) + MIPA counter-ion petrochemical (75.1 Da, from propylene oxide) -> 266.4/385.6=0.69.
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

The lauryl chain is typically coconut- or palm-kernel derived, ethoxylated with petrochemical ethylene oxide, then sulfated. The sulfate is neutralised with monoisopropanolamine, made from propylene oxide and ammonia.

In plain English

A foaming cleansing ingredient made from coconut-derived lauryl alcohol, reacted with ethylene oxide and neutralized with an isopropanolamine salt. It helps shampoos and cleansers lather and lift away oil.

CosIng definition: MIPA-Laureth Sulfate is the monoisopropanolamine salt of sulfated ethoxylated lauryl alcohol that conforms generally to the formula, where n has a value between 1 and 4

Natural alternatives with the same function

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 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

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 C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside 100% natural origin

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 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 MIPA-Laureth Sulfate

1-aminopropan-2-ol;2-dodecoxyethyl hydrogen sulfate

PubChem CID 170851910 ↗

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. 2MIPA-Laureth Sulfate. PubChem CID 170851910. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3MIPA-LAURETH SULFATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4MIPA-LAURETH SULFATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=MIPA-LAURETH%20SULFATE