Database/Cleansing/TEA-Dodecylbenzenesulfonate
Mostly petroleum · ISO 16128

Is TEA-Dodecylbenzenesulfonate natural?

Mostly not. Benzene ring, dodecyl chain and the triethanolamine counter-ion are all petrochemical; only the sulfonate group counts as natural.

INCI nameTEA-Dodecylbenzenesulfonate
CAS27323-41-7
FormulaC24H45NO6S · 475.7 Da
FunctionCleansing · Foaming
FeedstockMade by neutralising dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid, from petrochemical benzene…

How we scored it

SO3H core 81 Da (natural) vs C18H29 dodecylbenzene 245 Da (petrochemical) + TEA C6H15NO3 149 Da (petrochemical); 81/475.7 = 0.17.
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 by neutralising dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid, from petrochemical benzene and paraffin, with triethanolamine, a synthetic amine. No natural-feedstock route is commercially significant.

In plain English

A cleansing and foaming surfactant used in cleaning products, made by neutralising a petroleum-derived benzenesulfonic acid with triethanolamine, a synthetic amine.

CosIng definition: Benzenesulfonic acid, C10-13-alkyl derivs., compds. with triethanolamine

Natural alternatives with the same function

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 Achillea Millefolium Oil 100% natural origin

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 Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide 100% natural origin

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 Arachidic Acid 100% natural origin

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 Babassu Acid 100% natural origin

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 Behenic Acid 100% natural origin

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

Structure

2D structure of TEA-Dodecylbenzenesulfonate

2-[bis(2-hydroxyethyl)amino]ethanol;3-dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid

PubChem CID 33782 ↗

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. 2TEA-Dodecylbenzenesulfonate. PubChem CID 33782. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3TEA-DODECYLBENZENESULFONATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4TEA-DODECYLBENZENESULFONATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=TEA-DODECYLBENZENESULFONATE