Database/Emulsifying Surfactant/PEG-20 Sorbitan Isostearate
Mostly petroleum · ISO 16128

Is PEG-20 Sorbitan Isostearate natural?

Mostly not. Sorbitan from sugar dehydration and isostearic acid from natural fats are both natural; the twenty ethylene-oxide units are petrochemical.

INCI namePEG-20 Sorbitan Isostearate
CAS66794-58-9
FunctionEmulsifying Surfactant · Cleansing Surfactant
FeedstockSorbitan is made by dehydrating natural sorbitol (from…

How we scored it

Sorbitan(164, from sugar)+isostearic acid(267 after -H2O, natural)=431 Da; +20 EO x44.05=881 Da petrochemical; total 1312 Da. 431/1312=0.33.
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

Sorbitan is made by dehydrating natural sorbitol (from corn or other starches); isostearic acid comes from isomerised natural fatty acids. Both are esterified and then reacted with petrochemical ethylene oxide.

In plain English

An emulsifier made from sorbitan, derived from plant sugar, and isostearic acid from natural fats, reacted with petroleum-based ethylene oxide.

CosIng definition: Sorbitan, monoisooctadecanoate, poly(oxy-1,2-ethanediyl) derivatives (20 mol EO average molar ratio)

Natural alternatives with the same function

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 Behenic Acid 100% natural origin

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 C10-16 Alkyl Glucoside 100% natural origin

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 C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside 100% natural origin

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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-20 SORBITAN ISOSTEARATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  3. 3PEG-20 SORBITAN ISOSTEARATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=PEG-20%20SORBITAN%20ISOSTEARATE