Database/Emollient/Neopentyl Glycol Diethylhexanoate
100% petroleum · ISO 16128

Is Neopentyl Glycol Diethylhexanoate natural?

No. Both the diol and the branched acid are synthesized from petrochemical aldehydes via the oxo process; no natural fragment is present.

INCI nameNeopentyl Glycol Diethylhexanoate
CAS28510-23-8
FormulaC21H40O4 · 356.5 Da
FunctionEmollient · Skin Conditioning
FeedstockNeopentyl glycol is made from isobutyraldehyde and formaldehyde;…

How we scored it

C21H40O4 356.5Da: neopentyl glycol (synthetic diol, 0)+2x 2-ethylhexanoic acid (oxo-process branched acid, 0) -> 0/356.5=0.0.
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

Neopentyl glycol is made from isobutyraldehyde and formaldehyde; 2-ethylhexanoic acid comes from oxo-process butyraldehyde chemistry. Both are exclusively petrochemical commercially.

In plain English

A lightweight emollient ester that smooths skin without feeling greasy. Both building blocks are synthesized from petroleum-derived chemicals; none of it comes from plants.

Natural alternatives with the same function

Structure

2D structure of Neopentyl Glycol Diethylhexanoate

[3-(2-ethylhexanoyloxy)-2,2-dimethylpropyl] 2-ethylhexanoate

PubChem CID 34260 ↗

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. 2Neopentyl Glycol Diethylhexanoate. PubChem CID 34260. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3NEOPENTYL GLYCOL DIETHYLHEXANOATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4NEOPENTYL GLYCOL DIETHYLHEXANOATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=NEOPENTYL%20GLYCOL%20DIETHYLHEXANOATE