Database/Skin Conditioning/PPG-28 Cetyl Ether
Mostly petroleum · ISO 16128

Is PPG-28 Cetyl Ether natural?

Mostly not. Cetyl group from coconut/palm fatty alcohol; the 28-unit polypropylene glycol chain is entirely petrochemical.

INCI namePPG-28 Cetyl Ether
CAS9035-85-2
FunctionSkin Conditioning
FeedstockMade by ring-opening polymerisation of petrochemical propylene oxide…

How we scored it

Cetyl C16H34O (242, natural) + 28xC3H6O PPG chain (1626, petrochemical) = 1869 Da; 242/1869=0.13. Supplied formula/MW (C19H40O2, 300.5) fits PPG-1, not PPG-28; used n=28 from the ingredient name.
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

Made by ring-opening polymerisation of petrochemical propylene oxide onto oleochemical cetyl (C16) alcohol. No natural alternative exists for the polyether chain itself.

In plain English

A skin-conditioning emollient made by reacting cetyl fatty alcohol, usually from coconut or palm, with propylene oxide, a petrochemical building block, to form a long polyether chain. Softens and smooths skin in creams and lotions.

CosIng definition: Poly[oxy(methyl-1,2-ethanediyl)], .alpha.-hexadecyl-.omega.-hydroxy-

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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. 2PPG-28 CETYL ETHER. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  3. 3PPG-28 CETYL ETHER. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=PPG-28%20CETYL%20ETHER