Database/Perfuming/Beta-Santalene
Route-dependent · ISO 16128

Is Beta-Santalene natural?

It depends. Beta-santalene is a natural sandalwood terpene; it is also made by fermentation, and synthetic versions exist.

INCI nameBeta-Santalene
CAS511-59-1
FormulaC15H24 · 204.35 Da
FunctionPerfuming
FeedstockIsolated from sandalwood oil, or produced by fermentation.

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
sandalwood oilisolated from sandalwood (Santalum) oil1.00Every carbon from the essential oil.
fermentationproduced by engineered yeast or bacteria from sugar1.00Every carbon from sugar.
synthetictotal synthesis from petrochemical building blocks0.00No 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

Beta-santalene C15H24 204.4 Da is a single sesquiterpene: isolated from sandalwood oil or made by fermentation (1.0), or synthesised (0.0). Headline shows the best route.
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

Isolated from sandalwood oil, or produced by fermentation.

In plain English

A woody-smelling fragrance ingredient naturally found in sandalwood oil. Most of what's used in perfumery today is made by chemical synthesis rather than extracted from real sandalwood, which is scarce and protected.

Natural alternatives with the same function

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 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.

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Structure

2D structure of Beta-Santalene

(1S,2R,4R)-2-methyl-3-methylidene-2-(4-methylpent-3-enyl)bicyclo[2.2.1]heptane

PubChem CID 10889018 ↗

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. 2Beta-Santalene. PubChem CID 10889018. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3BETA-SANTALENE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4BETA-SANTALENE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=BETA-SANTALENE