Database/Emulsifying Surfactant/Polyglyceryl-4 Laurate
100% natural origin · ISO 16128

Is Polyglyceryl-4 Laurate natural?

Yes. Built from natural vegetable glycerin, self-condensed into polyglycerol-4, then esterified with coconut-derived lauric acid.

INCI namePolyglyceryl-4 Laurate
CAS75798-42-4
FunctionEmulsifying Surfactant
FeedstockVegetable glycerin is polymerised into polyglycerol-4 and esterified…

How we scored it

Polyglycerin (4 glycerin units condensed, natural) esterified with lauric acid (coconut fatty acid, natural); both fragments natural → 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

Vegetable glycerin is polymerised into polyglycerol-4 and esterified with coconut or palm kernel lauric acid. No petrochemical route is used commercially.

In plain English

A plant-based emulsifier made from vegetable glycerin and coconut fatty acid, used to blend oil and water in creams and lotions.

CosIng definition: 1,2,3-Propanetriol, homopolymer, dodecanoates (1:1) (4 mol glycerol average molar ratio)

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. 2POLYGLYCERYL-4 LAURATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  3. 3POLYGLYCERYL-4 LAURATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=POLYGLYCERYL-4%20LAURATE