Database/Skin Conditioning/Trihydroxystearin
100% natural origin · ISO 16128

Is Trihydroxystearin natural?

Yes. Glycerin and hydroxystearic acid are both plant/oleochemical in origin, so the whole ester is natural.

INCI nameTrihydroxystearin
CAS139-44-6
FormulaC57H110O9 · 939.5 Da
FunctionSkin Conditioning · Viscosity Controlling
FeedstockMade by esterifying glycerin with hydrogenated castor oil…

How we scored it

Glycerin (natural) triesterified with 3x 12-hydroxystearic acid (castor-derived, natural); condensation water not counted. All atoms natural.
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 esterifying glycerin with hydrogenated castor oil fatty acid (12-hydroxystearic acid). Both feedstocks are vegetable-oil derived; no petrochemical route is used commercially.

In plain English

A thickener and skin-conditioning wax made by combining glycerin with hydrogenated castor oil fatty acid. It gives creams and lipsticks body and a smooth, waxy texture.

Structure

2D structure of Trihydroxystearin

2,3-bis(12-hydroxyoctadecanoyloxy)propyl 12-hydroxyoctadecanoate

PubChem CID 25100 ↗

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. 2Trihydroxystearin. PubChem CID 25100. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3TRIHYDROXYSTEARIN. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4TRIHYDROXYSTEARIN. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=TRIHYDROXYSTEARIN