Database/Emulsifying Surfactant/PEG-60 Sorbitan Tetrastearate
Mostly petroleum · ISO 16128

Is PEG-60 Sorbitan Tetrastearate natural?

Mostly not. The sorbitan (from sugar) and the four stearic-acid chains are natural; the ethylene-oxide chain is petrochemical.

INCI namePEG-60 Sorbitan Tetrastearate
FunctionEmulsifying Surfactant
FeedstockSorbitan tetrastearate ethoxylated with about 60 mol of…

How we scored it

Sorbitan tetrastearate (sorbitan C6H12O5 + 4 stearic acid − 4 water) 1230.0 Da (natural) + 60 EO 2643.2 Da (petrochemical) = 3873.2 Da → 0.32. Same method as PEG-20 Sorbitan Isostearate.
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

Sorbitan tetrastearate ethoxylated with about 60 mol of ethylene oxide.

In plain English

An emulsifier built from plant sugar and vegetable fatty acids, then treated with ethylene oxide to blend oil and water in creams and lotions. About a third of its weight is natural; the rest is petroleum-derived.

CosIng definition: 1,4-Anhydro-D-glucitol, poly(oxy-1,2-ethanediyl) derivatives, tetraesters with octadecanoic acid (60 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-60 SORBITAN TETRASTEARATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  3. 3PEG-60 SORBITAN TETRASTEARATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=PEG-60%20SORBITAN%20TETRASTEARATE