How we scored it
Polyglycerin-4 from glycerin, isostearic acid from oleic acid, polyhydroxystearic acid from castor 12-hydroxystearic acid, sebacic acid from castor oil: all natural; condensation water excluded. 1.0.
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
Dominant route is esterification of polyglycerin-4 with isostearic, polyhydroxystearic and sebacic acids obtained from vegetable oils. No significant petrochemical alternative exists for cosmetic grades.
In plain English
A water-in-oil emulsifier that helps oil and water phases mix and stay stable in creams and sunscreens. It is a polymeric ester of polyglycerin with isostearic, polyhydroxystearic and sebacic acids, all derived from plant oils such as castor and oleic-rich oils.
CosIng definition: Polyglyceryl-4 Diisostearate/Polyhydroxystearate/Sebacate is a diester of a mixture of isostearic, polyhydroxystearic and sebacic acids with Polyglycerin-4
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-4 DIISOSTEARATE/POLYHYDROXYSTEARATE/SEBACATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
- 3POLYGLYCERYL-4 DIISOSTEARATE/POLYHYDROXYSTEARATE/SEBACATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=POLYGLYCERYL-4%20DIISOSTEARATE/POLYHYDROXYSTEARATE/SEBACATE