Database/Emulsifying Surfactant/Oleth-8
Mostly petroleum · ISO 16128

Is Oleth-8 natural?

Mostly not. Oleyl alcohol from oleic acid is ethoxylated with 8 mol of petrochemical ethylene oxide.

INCI nameOleth-8
CAS9004-98-2
FunctionEmulsifying Surfactant
FeedstockOleyl alcohol typically comes from hydrogenated oleic acid…

How we scored it

Oleyl alcohol C18H36O 268.48 Da (natural) + 8x C2H4O ethylene oxide 352.43 Da (petrochemical) = 268.48/620.91 = 0.43
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

Oleyl alcohol typically comes from hydrogenated oleic acid of vegetable or tallow origin, reacted with petrochemical ethylene oxide. Single dominant route.

In plain English

An emulsifying surfactant made from oleyl alcohol reacted with 8 units of ethylene oxide; helps blend oil and water in creams and lotions.

CosIng definition: Poly(oxy-1,2-ethanediyl), .alpha.-9-(Z)-octadecenyl-.omega.-hydroxy (8 mol EO average molar ratio)

Natural alternatives with the same function

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. 2OLETH-8. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  3. 3OLETH-8. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=OLETH-8