Database/Cleansing/Trideceth-11
100% petroleum · ISO 16128

Is Trideceth-11 natural?

No. Odd-numbered C13 chain length indicates a synthetic oxo-process alcohol rather than a natural even-chain fatty alcohol; the ethylene oxide chain is also petrochemical.

INCI nameTrideceth-11
FunctionCleansing · Cleansing Surfactant
FeedstockTridecyl (isotridecyl) alcohol is industrially produced by oxo…

How we scored it

Tridecyl (C13, odd-chain) alcohol has no significant natural fatty-acid pathway; commercial isotridecanol is made via oxo/Ziegler synthesis from petrochemical olefins; + 11xEO also petrochemical -> 0.00.
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

Tridecyl (isotridecyl) alcohol is industrially produced by oxo synthesis (hydroformylation) from petrochemical propylene oligomers, then ethoxylated with petroleum-derived ethylene oxide. No commercially significant natural C13 fatty-alcohol route exists.

In plain English

A cleansing surfactant made from tridecyl alcohol, an odd-chain synthetic alcohol typically produced from petroleum-derived building blocks, joined to 11 units of ethylene oxide. Helps clean and disperse oils.

CosIng definition: Poly(oxy-1,2-ethanediyl), .alpha.-tridecyl-.omega.-hydroxy

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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. 2TRIDECETH-11. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  3. 3TRIDECETH-11. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=TRIDECETH-11