Database/Emulsifying Surfactant/PEG-5 Cocamide
Mostly petroleum · ISO 16128

Is PEG-5 Cocamide natural?

Mostly not. Coco fatty acid is oleochemical and natural; the ethanolamine linkage and ethylene-oxide chain are petrochemical feedstocks.

INCI namePEG-5 Cocamide
CAS68425-44-5
FunctionEmulsifying Surfactant · Cleansing Surfactant
FeedstockMade by ethoxylating coconut-fatty-acid monoethanolamide with around 4…

How we scored it

Lauroyl (coco fatty acid) 183 Da natural + ethanolamine core 60 Da + 4 EO units 176 Da petrochemical; 183/419 = 0.44.
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 coconut-fatty-acid monoethanolamide with around 4 moles of ethylene oxide per mole. Coconut oil supplies the fatty acid; the ethanolamine and ethylene oxide are petrochemical-derived.

In plain English

A cleansing and emulsifying ingredient made by reacting coconut fatty acids with ethanolamine, then adding ethylene oxide. Helps water and oil mix and boosts foam in cleansers.

CosIng definition: Amides, coco alkyl, N-(hydroxyethyl), ethoxylated (4 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-5 COCAMIDE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  3. 3PEG-5 COCAMIDE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=PEG-5%20COCAMIDE