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

Is Sorbitan Sesquiisostearate natural?

Yes. Both building blocks, sorbitan from plant sugar and isostearic acid from vegetable-oil fatty acid, are natural origin, and esterification adds no petrochemical mass.

INCI nameSorbitan Sesquiisostearate
CAS71812-38-9
FunctionEmulsifying Surfactant
FeedstockMade by esterifying sorbitan, derived from sorbitol (corn…

How we scored it

Sorbitan (from sorbitol, natural) esterified with isostearic acid (oleochemical C18 fatty acid, natural), ratio 2:3; condensation water not counted. 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, derived from sorbitol (corn or wheat starch sugar), with isostearic acid, typically made by isomerising oleochemical oleic acid. No significant petrochemical route is used commercially.

In plain English

This is an emulsifier made by combining sorbitol (a plant sugar alcohol) with isostearic acid (a fatty acid derived from vegetable oil). It helps blend oil and water together in creams and lotions.

CosIng definition: Sorbitan, isooctadecanoate (2:3)

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