Is PEG-8 Diisostearate natural? NOI 0.59

Q: Is PEG-8 Diisostearate natural?

PEG-8 Diisostearate has a Natural Origin Index (NOI) of 0.59 (scale 0–1) per ISO 16128. Polyethylene glycol diester of isostearic acid. Both fatty-acid chains are natural; the 8-unit ethylene-oxide chain is petrochemical. An NOI of 0.59 means 59% of its molecular mass is traceable to a natural, renewable source.

How we scored it

PEG-8 Diisostearate: two isostearoyl fragments 2×C18H35O 535.0 Da (natural) on a PEG-8 chain; PEG-8 370.4 Da + 2×isostearic acid 569.0 Da − 2 H2O = 903.4 Da → 0.59. The ester oxygens go with the PEG chain, as for PEG-4 Dilaurate.

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

Isostearic acid from oleic-acid dimerisation (oleochemical) esterified at both ends of polyethylene glycol (about 8 ethylene-oxide units).

In plain English

An emulsifier blending oil and water phases in cosmetic formulas, built from a branched natural fatty acid and a short synthetic PEG chain.

CosIng definition: Poly(oxy-1,2-ethanediyl), .alpha.-hydro-.omega.-hydroxy-, diesters with isooctadecanoic acid (8 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-8 DIISOSTEARATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
3PEG-8 DIISOSTEARATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=PEG-8%20DIISOSTEARATE