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.
| Route | Feedstock | NOI | Share | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| petroleum distillate fraction | crude oil | 0.00 | majority of conventional cosmetic supply | |
| bio-based decarboxylation of lauric acid | coconut/palm kernel oil | 1.00 | minority, used for natural-positioned products |
How we scored it
Where it comes from
Undecane can be isolated from petroleum distillation as a simple hydrocarbon cut. Alternatively, it can be produced by decarboxylating lauric acid from coconut or palm kernel oil, a route increasingly used for natural-positioned emollients.
In plain English
A very light, silicone-like emollient that gives products a silky, non-greasy feel. It can come from refining petroleum, or from processing coconut oil fatty acids into a plant-based hydrocarbon; the two versions are chemically identical.
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Structure
undecane
References
- 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.
- 2Undecane. PubChem CID 14257. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
- 3UNDECANE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
- 4UNDECANE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=UNDECANE