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

Is Steareth-2 natural?

Mostly. Stearyl alcohol is oleochemical and dominates the mass; only a short 2-mole ethylene oxide chain is petrochemical.

INCI nameSteareth-2
CAS16057-43-5
FormulaC22H46O3 · 358.6 Da
FunctionEmulsifying Surfactant · Cleansing Surfactant
FeedstockStearyl alcohol, typically from vegetable oil, is lightly…

How we scored it

Stearyl alcohol (270, natural) + 2 EO × 44 = 88 petrochemical; 270/359 = 0.75.
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

Stearyl alcohol, typically from vegetable oil, is lightly ethoxylated with about 2 moles of petrochemical ethylene oxide. The fatty alcohol supplies most of the molecule's mass.

In plain English

An emulsifier used to help oil and water blend in creams and lotions. Made from stearyl alcohol, a fatty alcohol usually derived from vegetable oil, with a short chain of petroleum-derived ethylene oxide added to aid water solubility. Mostly plant-derived.

CosIng definition: Poly(oxy-1,2-ethanediyl), .alpha.-octadecyl-.omega.-hydroxy

Natural alternatives with the same function

Arachidic Acid 100% natural origin

A waxy fatty acid from peanut and other vegetable oils, used to thicken formulas and give creams and…

 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

A mild, sugar-based cleansing and emulsifying surfactant made by combining plant-derived fatty alcohols (coconut/palm) with glucose from starch.…

 C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside 100% natural origin

A mild, sugar-based cleansing ingredient made from coconut or palm fatty alcohols and glucose; helps cleanse skin and…

 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

2-(2-octadecoxyethoxy)ethanol

PubChem CID 4165923 ↗

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. PubChem CID 4165923. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3STEARETH-2. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4STEARETH-2. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=STEARETH-2