Oleth-6 has a Natural Origin Index (NOI) of 0.50 (scale 0–1) per ISO 16128. The natural oleochemical oleyl-alcohol chain narrowly outweighs the petrochemical ethoxylate mass at this low EO count. An NOI of 0.50 means 50% of its molecular mass is traceable to a natural, renewable source.

Is Oleth-6 natural? NOI 0.50 — Is That Natural?

How we scored it

Oleyl alcohol C18H36O 268.5 Da (natural) + 6x EO 264.3 Da (petrochemical) = 532.8 Da. 268.5/532.8 = 0.504, just above the half-natural line.

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 oleochemical oleyl alcohol (from oleic acid) with petrochemical ethylene oxide, at 6 mol EO average.

In plain English

Oleth-6 is an emulsifier made from a plant or animal fat-derived fatty alcohol reacted with ethylene oxide, a petroleum-based chemical, to help blend water and oil.

CosIng definition: Poly(oxy-1,2-ethanediyl), .alpha.-9-(Z)-octadecenyl-.omega.-hydroxy (6 mol EO average molar ratio)

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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.
2OLETH-6. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
3OLETH-6. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=OLETH-6