How we scored it
Where it comes from
Made by anionic polymerisation of propylene oxide and then ethylene oxide, both from petrochemical propylene and ethylene. No natural-origin route is commercially significant.
In plain English
A surfactant used to emulsify and cleanse, made of long blocks of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide joined together. Both building blocks come from petrochemicals.
CosIng definition: Oxirane, methyl-, polymer with oxirane (62;39)
Natural alternatives with the same function
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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.
- 2POLOXAMER 237. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
- 3POLOXAMER 237. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=POLOXAMER%20237