Database/Emulsifying Surfactant/PEG-3 Cocamide
Mostly petroleum · ISO 16128

Is PEG-3 Cocamide natural?

Mostly not. Coco fatty acid is natural; the ethanolamide core and ethylene-oxide units are petrochemical; exact structure inferred, not stated.

INCI namePEG-3 Cocamide
CAS61791-08-0
FunctionEmulsifying Surfactant · Cleansing Surfactant
FeedstockLikely made by ethoxylating a coconut fatty acid…

How we scored it

CAS differs from the other PEG-cocamides, suggesting a diethanolamide-type base: lauroyl 183 Da natural + amine/EO core ~236 Da petrochemical; 183/419 = 0.44 (EO count inferred from name).
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

Likely made by ethoxylating a coconut fatty acid ethanolamide with a few moles of ethylene oxide; the distinct CAS number suggests a diethanolamide-type reaction product rather than the monoethanolamide series. Coconut oil supplies the fatty acid; the amine and ethylene oxide are petrochemical.

In plain English

A cleansing and emulsifying ingredient made from coconut fatty acid reacted with ethanolamine and a small amount of ethylene oxide. Helps water and oil mix in cleansers.

CosIng definition: Fatty acids, coco, reaction products with ethanolamine, ethoxylated

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