Database/Viscosity Controlling/PEG-4 Rapeseedamide
Mostly natural · ISO 16128

Is PEG-4 Rapeseedamide natural?

Mostly. Rapeseed-oil fatty amine is oleochemical and natural; the hydroxyethyl linkage and ethylene-oxide chain are petrochemical; chain length averaged.

INCI namePEG-4 Rapeseedamide
CAS85536-23-8
FunctionViscosity Controlling
FeedstockMade by ethoxylating a rapeseed-oil-derived fatty amine (N-hydroxyethylated)…

How we scored it

Rapeseed fatty alkyl (~C20, ~279 Da) natural + hydroxyethylamino core 60 Da + 4 EO units 176 Da petrochemical; 279/515 = 0.54.
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 ethoxylating a rapeseed-oil-derived fatty amine (N-hydroxyethylated) with around 4 moles of ethylene oxide. Rapeseed oil supplies the fatty chain; the amine linkage and ethylene oxide are petrochemical.

In plain English

A viscosity-controlling ingredient made from rapeseed oil fatty amine reacted with ethanolamine and ethylene oxide. Helps thicken and stabilise the texture of a formula.

CosIng definition: Amines, rape-oil, N-(hydroxyethyl), ethoxylated (4 mol EO average molar ratio)

Natural alternatives with the same function

Agar 100% natural origin

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 Agarose 100% natural origin

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 Algin 100% natural origin

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 Alginic Acid 100% natural origin

A gelling and thickening gum extracted from brown seaweed, the acid form of alginate. It's harvested and purified…

 Aluminum Behenate 100% natural origin

The aluminium salt of behenic acid, a fatty acid from rapeseed or similar seed oils. Used in small…

 Aluminum Distearate 100% natural origin

An aluminium salt of stearic acid, a fatty acid from vegetable oil or animal fat. Used in powders…

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-4 RAPESEEDAMIDE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  3. 3PEG-4 RAPESEEDAMIDE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=PEG-4%20RAPESEEDAMIDE