Is PEG-2 Cocamine natural? NOI 0.62

Q: Is PEG-2 Cocamine natural?

PEG-2 Cocamine has a Natural Origin Index (NOI) of 0.62 (scale 0–1) per ISO 16128. Ethoxylated fatty amine. The coconut alkyl chain is natural; the amine nitrogen comes from synthetic ammonia and the 2 ethylene-oxide units are petrochemical, as on the site's p… An NOI of 0.62 means 62% of its molecular mass is traceable to a natural, renewable source.

How we scored it

Coco alkyl (lauryl proxy) chain C12H25 169.3 Da (natural) ; nitrogen 14.0 Da (synthetic ammonia, petrochemical as for the parent fatty amine) + 2×EO 88.1 Da + 2 terminal H (petrochemical ethylene oxide); total 273.5 Da → 169.3/273.5 = 0.62.

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

Coconut fatty amine (fatty nitrile hydrogenated with ammonia-derived nitrogen) reacted with about 2 mol of ethylene oxide.

In plain English

An emulsifying ingredient made from coconut-derived fatty amine reacted with a small amount of ethylene oxide, a petrochemical building block. Helps oil and water blend in a formula.

CosIng definition: Amines, coco alkyl, ethoxylated (2 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.
2PEG-2 COCAMINE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
3PEG-2 COCAMINE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=PEG-2%20COCAMINE