Database/Emulsifying Surfactant/PEG-10 Isostearate
Mostly petroleum · ISO 16128

Is PEG-10 Isostearate natural?

Mostly not. Isostearic acid is oleochemical-natural; the 10-unit ethylene oxide chain is entirely petrochemical.

INCI namePEG-10 Isostearate
CAS56002-14-3
FunctionEmulsifying Surfactant · Cleansing Surfactant
FeedstockMade by reacting isostearic acid, vegetable-oil derived, with…

How we scored it

Generic PubChem structure (416.6 Da) represents ~3 EO, not 10; recomputed: isostearoyl 267.5 Da natural + PEG-10 backbone 10×44.05=440.5 Da petrochemical → 267.5/725.0=0.37.
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 reacting isostearic acid, vegetable-oil derived, with 10 moles of petrochemical ethylene oxide. No natural route exists for the PEG chain.

In plain English

An emulsifier made by combining a plant-based fatty acid with a synthetic polyethylene glycol chain. It helps oil and water blend together in cosmetic formulas.

CosIng definition: Poly(oxy-1,2-ethanediyl), .alpha.-(1-oxoisooctadecyl)-.omega.-hydroxy- (10 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. 2PEG-10 ISOSTEARATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  3. 3PEG-10 ISOSTEARATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=PEG-10%20ISOSTEARATE