Database/Emulsifying Surfactant/PEG-5 Stearate
Mostly natural · ISO 16128

Is PEG-5 Stearate natural?

Mostly. Stearic acid is oleochemical; the 5-unit polyethylene glycol chain is petrochemical, per the CosIng description overriding the mismatched formula.

INCI namePEG-5 Stearate
CAS9004-99-3
FunctionEmulsifying Surfactant · Cleansing Surfactant
FeedstockPEG-5 Stearate is stearic acid esterified with polyethylene…

How we scored it

Supplied formula (C20H40O3, 328.5Da) matches only a 1-EO analogue, contradicting the 5-EO CosIng description; using the description: stearoyl 267Da (natural) / PEG-5 ester total 505Da = 0.53.
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

PEG-5 Stearate is stearic acid esterified with polyethylene glycol averaging 5 ethylene-oxide units from petrochemical feedstock. The supplied formula appears to describe a 1-EO analogue rather than the stated 5-EO product.

In plain English

An emulsifying wax made from stearic acid, a natural fatty acid, combined with a short synthetic glycol chain. About half its weight comes from natural fat, half from petrochemical feedstock.

CosIng definition: Poly(oxy-1,2-ethanediyl), .alpha.-(1-oxooctadecyl)-.omega.-hydroxy- (5 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 STEARATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  3. 3PEG-5 STEARATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=PEG-5%20STEARATE