Database/Emulsifying Surfactant/Steareth-2 Phosphate
Mostly natural · ISO 16128

Is Steareth-2 Phosphate natural?

Mostly. Stearyl alcohol and phosphate are natural/mineral; the two ethylene-oxide units are petrochemical.

INCI nameSteareth-2 Phosphate
CAS62362-49-6
FormulaC22H47O6P · 438.6 Da
FunctionEmulsifying Surfactant
FeedstockMade from vegetable-derived stearyl alcohol, lightly ethoxylated with…

How we scored it

Stearyl 270.5 + phosphate-O 80.0 (natural) = 350.5; 2 EO 88.1 (petrochemical); 350.5/438.6 = 0.80
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 from vegetable-derived stearyl alcohol, lightly ethoxylated with petrochemical ethylene oxide, then phosphorylated with mineral phosphoric acid.

In plain English

An emulsifying ingredient made from plant-derived fatty alcohol, a small synthetic ethoxylation step, and mineral phosphate. Helps blend oil and water in creams and lotions.

CosIng definition: Poly(oxy-1,2-ethanediyl), .alpha.-octadecyl-.omega.-hydroxy-, phosphate (2 mol EO average molar ratio)

Natural alternatives with the same function

Arachidic Acid 100% natural origin

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 Arachidyl Glucoside 100% natural origin

A gentle, sugar-based emulsifier used in creams and lotions to stabilize formulas without harsh surfactants. It's made from…

 Behenic Acid 100% natural origin

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

 C10-16 Alkyl Glucoside 100% natural origin

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 C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside 100% natural origin

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 C18-36 Acid 100% natural origin

A blend of long-chain plant fatty acids used as a mild cleanser and thickener, giving body and a…

Structure

2D structure of Steareth-2 Phosphate

2-(2-octadecoxyethoxy)ethyl dihydrogen phosphate

PubChem CID 72941562 ↗

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. 2Steareth-2 Phosphate. PubChem CID 72941562. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3STEARETH-2 PHOSPHATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4STEARETH-2 PHOSPHATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=STEARETH-2%20PHOSPHATE