Database/Cleansing Surfactant/PEG-60 Glyceryl Isostearate
Mostly petroleum · ISO 16128

Is PEG-60 Glyceryl Isostearate natural?

Mostly not. Glycerin and isostearic acid both trace to natural fats; the sixty ethylene-oxide units extending the ester are petrochemical.

INCI namePEG-60 Glyceryl Isostearate
FunctionCleansing Surfactant
FeedstockGlycerin and isostearic acid (from isomerised natural fatty…

How we scored it

Glycerin(92)+isostearic acid(267, natural)=360 Da; +60 EO x44.05=2643 Da petrochemical minus 1 Da ester H; total 3002 Da. 360/3002=0.12.
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

Glycerin and isostearic acid (from isomerised natural fatty acids, typically tall oil or oleic sources) are natural feedstocks, esterified and then reacted with petrochemical ethylene oxide.

In plain English

A cleansing surfactant made from glycerin and isostearic acid, both derived from natural fats, heavily reacted with petroleum-based ethylene oxide.

CosIng definition: Poly(oxy-1,2-ethanediyl), .alpha.,.alpha.',.alpha.''-1,2,3-propanetriyltris-.omega.-hydroxy-, isooctadecanoate (60 mol EO average molar ratio)

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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-60 GLYCERYL ISOSTEARATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  3. 3PEG-60 GLYCERYL ISOSTEARATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=PEG-60%20GLYCERYL%20ISOSTEARATE