How we scored it
Polyglycerin-3 (glycerin), citric acid (fermentation) and stearic acid (vegetable oil) are all natural; esterification water leaves; 1.0 / 1.0 = 1.00.
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
Glycerin from vegetable oil is polymerised to polyglycerin-3 and esterified with fermentation citric acid and oleochemical stearic acid. No petrochemical route is commercially used.
In plain English
An emulsifier made by joining polyglycerin, citric acid and stearic acid. It helps oil and water blend into stable creams and lotions. The glycerin and stearic acid come from vegetable oils and the citric acid from sugar fermentation.
CosIng definition: Polyglyceryl-3 Dicitrate/Stearate is the diester of Polyglycerin-3 with a mixture of Citric Acid and Stearic Acid.
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.
- 2POLYGLYCERYL-3 DICITRATE/STEARATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
- 3POLYGLYCERYL-3 DICITRATE/STEARATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=POLYGLYCERYL-3%20DICITRATE/STEARATE