Database/Perfuming/Anise Alcohol
Route-dependent · ISO 16128

Is Anise Alcohol natural?

It depends. Anise alcohol is sold both as a natural isolate made from anise-oil anethole and as a synthetic made from p-cresol.

INCI nameAnise Alcohol
CAS105-13-5
FormulaC8H10O2 · 138.16 Da
FunctionPerfuming
FeedstockAnisaldehyde from anethole (natural) or p-cresol (synthetic), reduced…

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
natural anisaldehydeanisaldehyde made by oxidising anethole from anise, star anise or fennel oil, then reduced to the alcohol1.00Every carbon from the essential oil.
syntheticp-cresol methylated and oxidised to anisaldehyde, then reduced0.00No natural carbon.
Ask your supplier. A batch-specific certificate of origin or bio-based carbon test (ASTM D6866) settles which route applies.

How we scored it

Anise alcohol (4-methoxybenzyl alcohol) C8H10O2 138.2 Da is made by reducing anisaldehyde. Natural-grade anisaldehyde comes from anethole in anise or fennel oil (1.0); synthetic anisaldehyde comes from p-cresol (0.0). Headline shows the best route, as for Anisaldehyde.
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

Anisaldehyde from anethole (natural) or p-cresol (synthetic), reduced to the alcohol.

In plain English

A fragrance ingredient with a sweet, floral-anise smell, used to scent products. Although related compounds occur in anise seeds, the commercial version is made in a factory from petroleum-derived chemicals rather than extracted from plants.

Natural alternatives with the same function

2,6-Dimethyl-7-Octen-2-Ol 100% natural origin

Dihydromyrcenol, a fresh, citrus-lime, slightly metallic fragrance ingredient used in many perfumes and cleaning products. It is made…

 Abies Alba Cone Extract 100% natural origin

An extract from fir tree cones that adds a fresh, forest-like scent to cosmetic products.

 Abies Alba Leaf Oil 100% natural origin

Essential oil distilled from fir tree needles, used for its fresh, woody fragrance. A whole natural essential oil.

 Abies Alba Needle Extract 100% natural origin

A fir-needle extract used mainly to add a fresh, woody scent to cosmetics. It comes from extracting the…

 Abies Alba Needle Oil 100% natural origin

An essential oil steam-distilled from the needles of the European silver fir. It gives fragrances and toiletries a…

 Abies Balsamea Needle Extract 100% natural origin

A balsam fir needle extract used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, made by extracting the needles of…

Structure

2D structure of Anise Alcohol

(4-methoxyphenyl)methanol

PubChem CID 7738 ↗

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. 2Anise Alcohol. PubChem CID 7738. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3ANISE ALCOHOL. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4ANISE ALCOHOL. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=ANISE%20ALCOHOL