Database/Emulsifying Surfactant/PEG-30 Glyceryl Cocoate
Mostly petroleum · ISO 16128

Is PEG-30 Glyceryl Cocoate natural?

Mostly not. Glycerin and coconut fatty acid backbone are natural; the 30-unit ethylene oxide chain is petrochemical.

INCI namePEG-30 Glyceryl Cocoate
FunctionEmulsifying Surfactant · Cleansing Surfactant
FeedstockMade by esterifying glycerin with coconut fatty acid,…

How we scored it

Glycerin 92 Da + coco fatty acid ~200 Da (natural, minus ~18 Da water in ester) = ~274 Da; 30 EO x 44 Da (petrochemical) = 1321 Da; total ~1595 Da; 274/1595 = 0.17.
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

Made by esterifying glycerin with coconut fatty acid, then ethoxylating with petrochemical ethylene oxide to add water solubility. Glycerin and coconut acid are renewable; the long PEG chain dominates the mass.

In plain English

A gentle cleansing and emulsifying ingredient made from coconut fatty acid and glycerin, extended with a petrochemical ethylene oxide chain to help it mix with water.

CosIng definition: Poly(oxy-1,2-ethanediyl), .alpha.,.alpha.',.alpha.''-1,2,3-propanetriyltris-.omega.-hydroxy-, monococonut acid ester (30 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-30 GLYCERYL COCOATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  3. 3PEG-30 GLYCERYL COCOATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=PEG-30%20GLYCERYL%20COCOATE