Database/Solvent/Phenoxypropanediol
Mostly natural · ISO 16128

Is Phenoxypropanediol natural?

Mostly. Glycerin supplies the propanediol-oxy unit by the glyceryl-ether convention, while the phenyl group comes from petrochemical phenol.

INCI namePhenoxypropanediol
CAS538-43-2
FormulaC9H12O3 · 168.19 Da
FunctionSolvent
FeedstockPhenol is etherified with a glycerin-derived C3 unit…

How we scored it

C9H12O3, 168.2 Da: glyceryl C3H7O3 91.1 natural (glycerin, glyceryl-ether convention) + phenyl C6H5 77.1 petrochemical (phenol). 91.1 / 168.2 = 0.54.
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

Phenol is etherified with a glycerin-derived C3 unit (glycidol or 3-chloropropane-1,2-diol). If the C3 unit comes from propylene-based epichlorohydrin the value would fall to 0.00.

In plain English

A clear, mild liquid solvent that helps dissolve other ingredients in a formula. It is made by joining phenol, which comes from petrochemicals, to a glycerin-based three-carbon unit.

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Structure

2D structure of Phenoxypropanediol

3-phenoxypropane-1,2-diol

PubChem CID 10857 ↗

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. 2Phenoxypropanediol. PubChem CID 10857. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3PHENOXYPROPANEDIOL. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4PHENOXYPROPANEDIOL. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=PHENOXYPROPANEDIOL