Database/Emollient/Triisocetyl Citrate
Route-dependent · ISO 16128

Is Triisocetyl Citrate natural?

It depends. Citric acid is a fermentation product, but the three isocetyl chains come from a Guerbet alcohol sold in both oleochemical and petrochemical grades, so the score depends on the supplier's alcohol.

INCI nameTriisocetyl Citrate
CAS93385-14-9
FormulaC54H104O7 · 865.4 Da
FunctionEmollient · Skin Conditioning
FeedstockFermentation citric acid triesterified with isocetyl alcohol. Ask…

Why the score varies

This ingredient is made commercially by more than one route, and ISO 16128 scores the feedstock actually used. Without a supplier certificate of origin the value cannot be claimed.

RouteFeedstockNOIShareNotes
Oleochemical Guerbet alcoholCoconut octanol dimerised to isocetyl alcohol + fermentation citric acid1.00Common for cosmetic gradesNatural origin
Petrochemical Guerbet alcoholZiegler/oxo octanol dimerised + fermentation citric acid0.22CommonCitrate 189 Da natural of 864 Da
Ask your supplier. A batch-specific certificate of origin or bio-based carbon test (ASTM D6866) settles which route applies.

How we scored it

Citric acid (fermentation, natural) triesterified with 3 mol isocetyl alcohol (branched C16 fatty alcohol, assumed oleochemical per C8-C22 convention); all-natural ester = 1.0.
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

Fermentation citric acid triesterified with isocetyl alcohol. Ask which octanol feeds the Guerbet step.

In plain English

A lightweight emollient ester made from citric acid, sourced from fermented sugar, and a branched fatty alcohol. It gives skin and hair products a silky, non-greasy feel.

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Structure

2D structure of Triisocetyl Citrate

tris(14-methylpentadecyl) 2-hydroxypropane-1,2,3-tricarboxylate

PubChem CID 9876029 ↗

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. 2Triisocetyl Citrate. PubChem CID 9876029. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3TRIISOCETYL CITRATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4TRIISOCETYL CITRATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=TRIISOCETYL%20CITRATE