C12-13 Pareth-3 ●
TL;DR. This ingredient primarily functions as a nonionic surfactant and emulsifier, helping oil and water phases mix while boosting cleansing and wetting performance. It can also help solubilize oily components in rinse-off formulas.
What does C12-13 Pareth-3 do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient primarily functions as a nonionic surfactant and emulsifier, helping oil and water phases mix while boosting cleansing and wetting performance. It can also help solubilize oily components in rinse-off formulas.
Is C12-13 Pareth-3 clean?
From a clean-standard lens, it is compromised because its manufacture uses ethylene oxide and can leave trace 1,4-dioxane if purification is not well controlled. Well-refined grades are usually well tolerated, but many clean and natural frameworks scrutinize this class.
Is C12-13 Pareth-3 sustainable?
This material can come from mixed petrochemical and plant-derived fatty alcohol feedstocks, often with palm or coconut supply-chain considerations. It is generally biodegradable, but its petrochemical processing route and surfactant discharge profile keep the sustainability picture mixed.
Is C12-13 Pareth-3 COSMOS-approved?
It is not permitted under COSMOS-natural or COSMOS-organic because the processing chemistry sits outside the standard’s allowed routes. It has some Green Chemistry alignment through biodegradability, but less alignment on renewable feedstock certainty, reactive processing, and residue management.
How does C12-13 Pareth-3 work chemically?
The molecule is a mixture of C12 and C13 fatty alcohol ethers with an average of about three oxyethylene units, giving it a relatively low HLB and affinity for oil-rich interfaces. It is typically used at low single-digit percentages in emulsions or cleansing blends, and quality depends heavily on control of residual ethylene oxide and 1,4-dioxane.
Last updated 2026-05-13