How we scored it
Where it comes from
Made by esterifying polyethylene glycol (6 mol EO, from petrochemical ethylene oxide) with isostearic acid, typically derived from oleic acid isomerisation/dimerisation. No alternative bio-based PEG route is in significant commercial use.
In plain English
An emulsifier made by attaching a branched fatty (isostearic) acid chain to a short polyethylene glycol (PEG) backbone, helping blend oil and water in formulas.
CosIng definition: Poly(oxy-1,2-ethanediyl), .alpha.-(1-oxoisooctadecyl)-.omega.-hydroxy- (6 mol EO average molar ratio)
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References
- 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.
- 2PEG-6 ISOSTEARATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
- 3PEG-6 ISOSTEARATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=PEG-6%20ISOSTEARATE