Database/Cleansing/TEA-Oleyl Sulfate
Mostly natural · ISO 16128

Is TEA-Oleyl Sulfate natural?

Mostly. Oleyl chain from oleochemical oleic acid and the sulfate group are natural; the triethanolamine counter-ion is a petrochemical ethylene-oxide/ammonia amine.

INCI nameTEA-Oleyl Sulfate
FunctionCleansing · Emulsifying Surfactant
FeedstockThe oleyl sulfate portion is made from oleochemical…

How we scored it

Oleyl sulfate anion (C18H35O4S, 347.5 Da, fatty chain+sulfate) natural; triethanolamine cation (C6H16NO3, 150.2 Da, synthetic amine) petrochemical. 347.5/497.7 = 0.70.
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

The oleyl sulfate portion is made from oleochemical oleyl alcohol (from vegetable or tallow oleic acid) reacted with sulfuric acid; the triethanolamine counter-ion is synthesised from petrochemical ethylene oxide and ammonia.

In plain English

A mild cleansing and foaming ingredient used in washes and shampoos. It combines a fatty component from natural oils with a lab-made neutralising salt.

CosIng definition: 9(Z)-Octadecenyl hydrogen sulfate, compound with 2,2',2''-nitrilotrisethanol (1:1)

Natural alternatives with the same function

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-OLEYL SULFATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  3. 3TEA-OLEYL SULFATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=TEA-OLEYL%20SULFATE