Database/Binding/PEG-160M
100% petroleum · ISO 16128

Is PEG-160M natural?

No. Pure polyethylene glycol chain built entirely from petrochemical ethylene oxide.

INCI namePEG-160M
CAS25322-68-3
FunctionBinding · Emulsion Stabilising
FeedstockManufactured by polymerizing petrochemical ethylene oxide to very…

How we scored it

Linear PEG homopolymer, H-(OCH2CH2)n-OH, entirely ethylene-oxide derived. No natural starter fragment. 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

Manufactured by polymerizing petrochemical ethylene oxide to very high molecular weight (~160,000 Da EO content). No natural-origin route exists.

In plain English

A very high molecular weight synthetic polyethylene glycol, used to bind ingredients and control a formula's thickness.

CosIng definition: Poly(oxy-1,2-ethanediyl), .alpha.-hydro-.omega.-hydroxy- (160,000 mol EO average molar ratio)

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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-160M. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  3. 3PEG-160M. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=PEG-160M