Database/Cleansing/Sodium C12-13 Pareth Sulfate
Mostly petroleum · ISO 16128

Is Sodium C12-13 Pareth Sulfate natural?

Mostly not. The C12-13 alcohol is an odd-carbon oxo blend from petrochemical olefins and the ethoxylate is ethylene oxide; only the sodium sulfate group counts as natural origin.

INCI nameSodium C12-13 Pareth Sulfate
FunctionCleansing · Emulsifying Surfactant
FeedstockPetrochemical C12-13 oxo alcohols ethoxylated with ethylene oxide,…

How we scored it

C12-13 alcohol blends are petrochemical oxo products (site policy): alkoxy fragment ~192 Da (average C12.5H26O) and 2.5 EO 110 Da are petrochemical; SO3 80 Da + Na 23 Da are natural mineral origin. 103/405 = 0.25.
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

Petrochemical C12-13 oxo alcohols ethoxylated with ethylene oxide, sulfated and neutralised with sodium hydroxide.

In plain English

A foaming cleansing surfactant used in shampoos and washes. It's made from coconut-derived fatty alcohol combined with a small amount of petroleum-derived ethylene oxide, then sulfated.

CosIng definition: Poly(oxy-1,2-ethanediyl), .alpha.-C12-13-alkyl-.omega.-sulfooxy-, sodium salt (1-4 mol EO average molar ratio)

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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. 2SODIUM C12-13 PARETH SULFATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  3. 3SODIUM C12-13 PARETH SULFATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=SODIUM%20C12-13%20PARETH%20SULFATE