Is Sorbeth-40 Hexaoleate natural? NOI 0.50

Q: Is Sorbeth-40 Hexaoleate natural?

Sorbeth-40 Hexaoleate has a Natural Origin Index (NOI) of 0.50 (scale 0–1) per ISO 16128. Sorbitol and vegetable oleic acid are natural; the 40 petrochemical ethylene-oxide units bring the total to almost exactly half. An NOI of 0.50 means 50% of its molecular mass is traceable to a natural, renewable source.

How we scored it

Sorbitol 182 Da + 40 EO 1762 Da form the polyether backbone, then all 6 arms esterified with oleic acid (6×282 Da natural, less condensation water) → total ~3531 Da, natural (sorbitol+oleic acid) ~1775 Da → 0.50.

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 ethoxylating plant-derived sorbitol then fully esterifying all six arms with vegetable-sourced oleic acid. No formula/MW was supplied, so the mass balance is estimated and lands near the 0.50 boundary by calculation, not by hedging.

In plain English

A cleansing surfactant made by combining plant-derived sorbitol and vegetable oleic acid with petrochemical ethylene oxide units.

CosIng definition: D-Glucitol, ethoxylated, hexaesters with 9-(Z)-octadecenoic acid (40 mol EO average molar ratio)

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References

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.
2SORBETH-40 HEXAOLEATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
3SORBETH-40 HEXAOLEATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=SORBETH-40%20HEXAOLEATE