How we scored it
Ester of stearyl alcohol (C18) + palmitic acid (C16), both oleochemical fatty fragments → 2/2 natural, 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.
Where it comes from
Produced by esterifying stearyl alcohol with palmitic acid, both typically sourced from palm, coconut or other vegetable oils. A petrochemical Ziegler/oxo stearyl alcohol route exists; check supplier.
In plain English
A wax-like ester used to soften and condition skin and hair, and to thicken creams. Made by combining a fatty alcohol and a fatty acid, both typically derived from vegetable oils.
Structure
octadecyl hexadecanoate
References
- 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.
- 2Stearyl Palmitate. PubChem CID 75778. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
- 3STEARYL PALMITATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
- 4STEARYL PALMITATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=STEARYL%20PALMITATE