Database/Solvent/Sorbeth-20
Mostly petroleum · ISO 16128

Is Sorbeth-20 natural?

Mostly not. Plant-derived sorbitol ethoxylated with about 20 mol petrochemical ethylene oxide; most of the mass is the synthetic polyether chain.

INCI nameSorbeth-20
CAS53694-15-8
FunctionSolvent · Viscosity Controlling
FeedstockMade by reacting plant-derived sorbitol with ethylene oxide…

How we scored it

Name indicates 20 mol EO average; attached formula/MW (446.5) matches the Sorbeth-6 structure instead — data mismatch, computed from named substance. Sorbitol 182 Da (natural) + 20×44 Da EO 881 Da (petrochemical) → 182/1063 = 0.17.
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 reacting plant-derived sorbitol with ethylene oxide (petrochemical) to an average of 20 mol EO. The attached reference formula appears to belong to the lower-EO Sorbeth-6 congener.

In plain English

A solvent and thickening ingredient made by reacting plant-derived sorbitol with a large number of petrochemical ethylene oxide units.

CosIng definition: Poly(oxy-1,2-ethanediyl), .alpha.-hydro-.omega.-hydroxy-, ether with d-glucitol (6:1)

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