Database/Emulsifying Surfactant/Sorbitan Caprylate
100% natural origin · ISO 16128

Is Sorbitan Caprylate natural?

Yes. Sorbitan derives from natural sorbitol and caprylic acid is a natural coconut/palm-kernel fatty acid.

INCI nameSorbitan Caprylate
CAS60177-36-8
FormulaC14H26O6 · 290.35 Da
FunctionEmulsifying Surfactant
FeedstockMade by esterifying sorbitan (dehydrated sorbitol) with caprylic…

How we scored it

Sorbitan (from sorbitol) + caprylic acid (C8, oleochemical) ester; both natural building blocks = 1.0
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.

How it’s made

Acid-catalysed ring closure of sorbitol (intramolecular SN2). Sorbitan is the ring at the core of every sorbitan ester and polysorbate. Each curved arrow moves one electron pair, and the film ends on the scores for the whole family.

Where it comes from

Made by esterifying sorbitan (dehydrated sorbitol) with caprylic acid, typically sourced from coconut or palm kernel oil. A fully oleochemical process.

In plain English

A gentle emulsifier that helps blend water and oil phases in creams. It's made from plant sugar (sorbitol) and coconut-derived fatty acid, with no petrochemical component.

Structure

2D structure of Sorbitan Caprylate

[(2R)-2-[(2R,3R,4S)-3,4-dihydroxyoxolan-2-yl]-2-hydroxyethyl] octanoate

PubChem CID 90474014 ↗

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. 2Sorbitan Caprylate. PubChem CID 90474014. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3SORBITAN CAPRYLATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4SORBITAN CAPRYLATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=SORBITAN%20CAPRYLATE