Database/Emulsifying Surfactant/Steareth-5
Mostly natural · ISO 16128

Is Steareth-5 natural?

Mostly. Natural oleochemical C18 fatty-alcohol chain provides most mass; five ethylene-oxide units from petrochemical feedstock dilute it.

INCI nameSteareth-5
CAS71093-13-5
FormulaC28H58O6 · 490.8 Da
FunctionEmulsifying Surfactant · Cleansing Surfactant
FeedstockStearyl alcohol is usually made from hydrogenated vegetable…

How we scored it

Stearyl alcohol (oleochemical) 270.5 Da + 5x ethylene oxide (petrochemical) 220 Da = 490.8 Da total; 270.5/490.8 = 0.55.
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 is usually made from hydrogenated vegetable or tallow fatty acids, then reacted with petrochemical ethylene oxide to add 5 EO units. Petrochemical (Ziegler) stearyl alcohol is a minor alternative feedstock.

In plain English

Steareth-5 is a fatty alcohol combined with ethylene oxide, used to help oil and water mix in creams and cleansers. The fatty portion typically comes from vegetable oils; the ethoxylation step uses a petroleum-derived gas.

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-5

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

PubChem CID 4616903 ↗

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-5. PubChem CID 4616903. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3STEARETH-5. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4STEARETH-5. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=STEARETH-5