Database/Cleansing/Sodium Laureth-11 Carboxylate
Mostly petroleum · ISO 16128

Is Sodium Laureth-11 Carboxylate natural?

Mostly not. Lauryl chain is coconut/palm-derived; the 11 ethylene-oxide units and chloroacetate cap are petrochemical; sodium counter-ion is natural.

INCI nameSodium Laureth-11 Carboxylate
CAS33939-64-9
FormulaC16H32O4 · 288.42 Da
FunctionCleansing · Foaming
FeedstockMade from lauryl alcohol (coconut or palm derived)…

How we scored it

Name implies 11 EO; supplied formula/IUPAC matched only 1 EO, contradicting the name, so the name was trusted. Lauryl-O+Na natural 208; 11 EO(485)+CH2COO(58) petro 543; 208/751=0.28.
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 from lauryl alcohol (coconut or palm derived) reacted with about 11 units of petrochemical ethylene oxide, then capped with chloroacetic acid and neutralised with sodium. The supplied formula/IUPAC data conflicted with the name (showed only 1 EO); the INCI name was treated as authoritative.

In plain English

A mild cleansing and foaming ingredient made from lauryl alcohol (from coconut or palm) reacted with ethylene oxide and converted to a carboxylic acid salt. Used in shampoos and washes.

CosIng definition: Sodium salt of the carboxylic acid derived from Laureth-11

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Structure

2D structure of Sodium Laureth-11 Carboxylate

2-(2-dodecoxyethoxy)acetic acid

PubChem CID 154267 ↗

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 Laureth-11 Carboxylate. PubChem CID 154267. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3SODIUM LAURETH-11 CARBOXYLATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4SODIUM LAURETH-11 CARBOXYLATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=SODIUM%20LAURETH-11%20CARBOXYLATE