Database/Cleansing/Sodium Laureth-12 Carboxylate
Mostly petroleum · ISO 16128

Is Sodium Laureth-12 Carboxylate natural?

Mostly not. Lauryl chain from coconut/palm-kernel oil (natural); ethylene oxide chain and chloroacetate cap both from petrochemical feedstocks.

INCI nameSodium Laureth-12 Carboxylate
CAS33939-64-9
FormulaC16H32O4 · 288.42 Da
FunctionCleansing
FeedstockManufactured by ethoxylating coconut/palm-kernel lauryl alcohol with about…

How we scored it

Lauryl alcohol C12H26O (natural/oleochemical, 186 Da) + ~12 EO plus chloroacetate cap (petrochemical, ~609 Da) = 186/795 = 0.23. Given formula (C16H32O4/288) matches a 1-EO congener, not 12 EO; recalculated from CosIng's stated ratio.
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

Manufactured by ethoxylating coconut/palm-kernel lauryl alcohol with about 12 mol ethylene oxide, then etherifying the terminal hydroxyl with sodium chloroacetate. Both the ethylene oxide and chloroacetate are petrochemical.

In plain English

A mild cleansing surfactant made from coconut- or palm-derived lauryl alcohol reacted with a long chain of ethylene oxide, then capped with a petrochemical carboxylate group.

CosIng definition: Poly(oxy-1,2-ethanediyl), .alpha.-carboxy-.omega.-(dodecyloxy)-, sodium salt (12 mol EO average molar ratio)

Natural alternatives with the same function

Achillea Millefolium Extract 100% natural origin

An extract from yarrow, a traditional herb, used to refresh and condition skin and help control oiliness. It's…

 Achillea Millefolium Oil 100% natural origin

An essential oil steam-distilled from yarrow flowers, used for its scent and soothing, cleansing properties. It comes directly…

 Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide 100% natural origin

A short chain of glucose sugar units made by fermenting sucrose with a bacterial enzyme. Used to cleanse,…

 Arachidic Acid 100% natural origin

A waxy fatty acid from peanut and other vegetable oils, used to thicken formulas and give creams and…

 Babassu Acid 100% natural origin

A blend of fatty acids from babassu palm seed oil, used to cleanse and help stabilise the texture…

 Behenic Acid 100% natural origin

A long-chain fatty acid from vegetable oil, used to thicken and stabilise creams and conditioners. It is extracted…

Structure

2D structure of Sodium Laureth-12 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-12 Carboxylate. PubChem CID 154267. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3SODIUM LAURETH-12 CARBOXYLATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4SODIUM LAURETH-12 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-12%20CARBOXYLATE