Database/Emulsifying Surfactant/PEG-40 Sorbitan Lanolate
Mostly petroleum · ISO 16128

Is PEG-40 Sorbitan Lanolate natural?

Mostly not. Sorbitan from sorbitol and lanolin fatty acid are natural; the 40 ethylene oxide units are petrochemical.

INCI namePEG-40 Sorbitan Lanolate
FunctionEmulsifying Surfactant · Cleansing Surfactant
FeedstockMade by esterifying sorbitan (from natural sorbitol) with…

How we scored it

Sorbitan(164)+lanolin fatty acid(~284)-H2O(18)=430 natural core; +40 EO×44=1762 petrochemical; 430/2192=0.20.
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 sorbitan (from natural sorbitol) with lanolin fatty acids from sheep wool grease, then ethoxylating with petrochemical ethylene oxide. No significant alternative route exists.

In plain English

An emulsifier that helps mix oil and water in creams and cleansers. Made from sorbitol (a plant sugar) and fatty acids from sheep's wool grease, reacted with a synthetic petrochemical chain.

CosIng definition: Sorbitan, ethoxylated, esters with lanolin fatty acids (40 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-40 SORBITAN LANOLATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  3. 3PEG-40 SORBITAN LANOLATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=PEG-40%20SORBITAN%20LANOLATE