Database/Emollient/PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate
Half & half · ISO 16128

Is PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate natural?

Half and half. Glycerol-isostearic triester core is natural (oleochemical); petrochemical ethylene oxide chain (20 mol) makes up the rest.

INCI namePEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate
FunctionEmollient · Emulsifying Surfactant
FeedstockGlycerol esterified with isostearic acid, an oleochemical branched…

How we scored it

Est. triisostearate core (glycerol 92 + 3×isostearic acid 284, each ester −18 water = 892, natural) + 20×EO (44 ea = 881, petrochemical). 892/1773 ≈ 0.50.
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

Glycerol esterified with isostearic acid, an oleochemical branched fatty acid, and ethoxylated with about 20 mol ethylene oxide. Typical structure assumed since no formula was supplied.

In plain English

An emollient and emulsifier made from glycerol and a branched plant-derived fatty acid, joined to a petroleum-derived ethylene oxide chain. Roughly half synthetic by weight.

CosIng definition: Poly(oxy-1,2-ethanediyl), .alpha.,.alpha.',.alpha.''-1,2,3-propanetriyltris-.omega.-[(1-oxo-16-methylheptadecyl))oxy]-, (20 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-20 GLYCERYL TRIISOSTEARATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  3. 3PEG-20 GLYCERYL TRIISOSTEARATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=PEG-20%20GLYCERYL%20TRIISOSTEARATE