Database/Emollient/Propylheptyl Caprylate
Mostly petroleum · ISO 16128

Is Propylheptyl Caprylate natural?

Mostly not. Natural coconut/palm-kernel caprylic acid esterified with petrochemical branched Guerbet alcohol (2-propylheptanol).

INCI namePropylheptyl Caprylate
CAS868839-23-0
FormulaC18H36O2 · 284.5 Da
FunctionEmollient
FeedstockMade by esterifying coconut/palm-kernel-derived caprylic acid with 2-propylheptanol,…

How we scored it

Caprylic acid (144 Da, natural fragment 127 Da) esterified with 2-propylheptanol (158 Da, synthetic fragment 157 Da) -> 127/284 = 0.45.
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 esterifying coconut/palm-kernel-derived caprylic acid with 2-propylheptanol, a branched synthetic alcohol produced industrially via the Guerbet reaction from petrochemical feedstock. The alcohol side outweighs the natural acid side.

In plain English

A light, silky emollient that softens skin without feeling greasy. Made from coconut/palm-derived caprylic acid combined with a branched synthetic alcohol produced from petrochemical feedstock.

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Structure

2D structure of Propylheptyl Caprylate

2-propylheptyl octanoate

PubChem CID 11855339 ↗

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. 2Propylheptyl Caprylate. PubChem CID 11855339. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3PROPYLHEPTYL CAPRYLATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4PROPYLHEPTYL CAPRYLATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=PROPYLHEPTYL%20CAPRYLATE