Database/Emulsifying Surfactant/Steareth-4
Mostly natural · ISO 16128

Is Steareth-4 natural?

Mostly. Stearyl alcohol, an oleochemical fatty alcohol, is natural; the 4 ethylene-oxide units added are petrochemical by convention.

INCI nameSteareth-4
CAS59970-10-4
FormulaC26H54O5 · 446.7 Da
FunctionEmulsifying Surfactant · Cleansing Surfactant
FeedstockStearyl alcohol, typically from coconut/palm oleochemistry, is ethoxylated…

How we scored it

Stearyl alcohol C18H38O 270.5 Da (natural) + 4 EO 176.2 Da (petrochemical) = 446.7 Da; 270.5/446.7 = 0.61. Matches given formula.
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 coconut/palm oleochemistry, is ethoxylated with about 4 moles of petrochemical ethylene oxide. A minor petrochemical Ziegler/oxo alcohol supply route also exists.

In plain English

An emulsifier used in creams and lotions to blend water and oils. Made from a plant-derived fatty alcohol reacted with a small amount of petroleum-based ethylene oxide.

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-4

2-[2-[2-(2-octadecoxyethoxy)ethoxy]ethoxy]ethanol

PubChem CID 302868 ↗

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-4. PubChem CID 302868. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3STEARETH-4. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4STEARETH-4. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=STEARETH-4