Is Salicylic Acid Natural?

Q: Is Salicylic Acid natural?

Salicylic Acid has a Natural Origin Index (NOI) of 0.00 (scale 0–1) per ISO 16128. The primary commercial synthesis route for salicylic acid starts from phenol, which is predominantly derived from petroleum feedstocks, resulting in a NOI of 0.0. An NOI of 0.00 means 0% of its molecular mass is traceable to a natural, renewable source.

Learn about Salicylic Acid — its natural origin index (ISO 16128), feedstock sources, synthesis process, and renewability classification.

0.0

out of 1.0

Natural Origin Index

INCI NameSalicylic Acid

IUPAC Name2-hydroxybenzoic acid

FormulaC7H6O3

PubChem CID338 ↗

FunctionSkin Conditioning Agent · Exfoliant

FeedstockThe primary commercial feedstock for

Chemical Structure

Learn about Salicylic Acid — its natural origin index (ISO 16128), feedstock sources, synthesis process, and renewability classification.

View full data on PubChem ↗

Quick Facts

INCI NameSalicylic Acid
IUPAC Name2-hydroxybenzoic acid
Molecular FormulaC7H6O3
PubChem CID338 ↗
FunctionsSkin Conditioning AgentExfoliantPreservative
Primary FeedstockThe primary commercial feedstock for salicylic acid is phenol. Phenol is predominantly produced from cumene, which is synthesized from benzene and propylene, both derived from petroleum refining. While alternative routes exist, the petrochemical route dominates global production for cosmetic and pharmaceutical grades.
NOI Score0.0 / 1.0
Tier100% Petroleum

Description

Learn about Salicylic Acid — its natural origin index (ISO 16128), feedstock sources, synthesis process, and renewability classification.

References

1ISO 16128-2:2017 — Guidelines on technical definitions and criteria for natural and organic cosmetic ingredients and products — Part 2. ISO, Geneva.
2Salicylic Acid. National Center for Biotechnology Information. PubChem CID 338. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗