Database/Emulsifying Surfactant/PEG-25 Soy Sterol
Mostly petroleum · ISO 16128

Is PEG-25 Soy Sterol natural?

Mostly not. Heavy ethoxylation makes the petrochemical polyethylene glycol chain the majority of the molecule's mass, despite the natural sterol core.

INCI namePEG-25 Soy Sterol
FunctionEmulsifying Surfactant
FeedstockSoybean sterols are reacted with 25 moles of…

How we scored it

Soy sterol (414.7 Da natural) + 25 EO (25x44.05=1101.4 Da petrochemical) = 1516.1 Da; 414.7/1516.1 = 0.27.
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

Soybean sterols are reacted with 25 moles of ethylene oxide for a highly water-dispersible emulsifier. The sterol is plant-derived; the long ethoxylate chain is petrochemical.

In plain English

Plant sterols from soybeans reacted with a larger amount of ethylene oxide (a petrochemical) to make them water-compatible. Used as an emulsifier that helps blend oil and water phases in creams and lotions.

CosIng definition: Sterols, soya (Glycine soja), ethoxylated (25 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-25 SOY STEROL. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  3. 3PEG-25 SOY STEROL. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=PEG-25%20SOY%20STEROL