Database/Emulsifying Surfactant/Trideceth-3
100% petroleum · ISO 16128

Is Trideceth-3 natural?

No. Isotridecanol is a branched synthetic alcohol made from propylene via the oxo process, not an oleochemical fatty alcohol; the ethoxylate chain is also petrochemical.

INCI nameTrideceth-3
CAS4403-12-7
FormulaC19H40O4 · 332.5 Da
FunctionEmulsifying Surfactant · Cleansing Surfactant
FeedstockTrideceth-3 is built from isotridecanol, a branched C13…

How we scored it

Isotridecanol (branched, synthetic oxo-alcohol from propylene) + EO chain; both fragments petrochemical = 0.0.
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

Trideceth-3 is built from isotridecanol, a branched C13 alcohol manufactured industrially from propylene oligomers via the oxo/Ziegler process. It is then ethoxylated with petrochemical ethylene oxide.

In plain English

A cleansing and emulsifying ingredient made from a branched synthetic alcohol reacted with ethylene oxide. Helps blend oil and water in shampoos and cleansers.

CosIng definition: 2-[2-[2-(tridecyloxy)ethoxy]ethoxy]ethanol; Isotridecanol, ethoxylated

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 Trideceth-3

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

PubChem CID 78116 ↗

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-3. PubChem CID 78116. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3TRIDECETH-3. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4TRIDECETH-3. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=TRIDECETH-3