Database/Emulsifying Surfactant/PEG-8 Oleate
Mostly petroleum · ISO 16128

Is PEG-8 Oleate natural?

Mostly not. Natural oleic-acid chain is esterified with eight petrochemical ethylene-oxide units, which make up over half the final mass.

INCI namePEG-8 Oleate
CAS9004-96-0
FunctionEmulsifying Surfactant
FeedstockOleochemical oleic acid (vegetable-oil-derived) esterified with polyethylene glycol…

How we scored it

Given formula (C20H38O3) matches PEG-1 oleate; description confirms 8 EO used instead. Oleoyl (natural) 265.5 Da / [oleic 282.5+8×44.05=634.9] Da total = 0.42
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

Oleochemical oleic acid (vegetable-oil-derived) esterified with polyethylene glycol from petrochemical ethylene oxide. The oleic acid portion is renewable; the PEG-8 chain is not.

In plain English

An emulsifier that helps oil and water mix in cosmetic formulas. A natural plant-oil fatty acid is joined to a petroleum-derived ethylene oxide chain.

CosIng definition: Poly(oxy-1,2-ethanediyl), .alpha.-(1-oxo-9-octadecenyl)-.omega.-hydroxy-, (Z)- (8 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-8 OLEATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  3. 3PEG-8 OLEATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=PEG-8%20OLEATE