Database/Skin Conditioning/Betulin
100% natural origin · ISO 16128

Is Betulin natural?

Yes. Isolated directly from birch bark, a major natural source; no synthetic route is commercially used.

INCI nameBetulin
CAS473-98-3
FormulaC30H50O2 · 442.7 Da
FunctionSkin Conditioning
FeedstockExtracted from the outer bark of birch trees…

How we scored it

Triterpene isolated from birch bark by extraction; entire carbon skeleton is plant-derived = 1.0.
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

Extracted from the outer bark of birch trees (Betula species), which can contain up to 20% betulin by weight. No significant synthetic alternative.

In plain English

A compound extracted from birch tree bark, used to condition skin. Birch bark is a particularly rich natural source of this ingredient.

Structure

2D structure of Betulin

(1R,3aS,5aR,5bR,7aR,9S,11aR,11bR,13aR,13bR)-3a-(hydroxymethyl)-5a,5b,8,8,11a-pentamethyl-1-prop-1-en-2-yl-1,2,3,4,5,6,7,7a,9,10,11,11b,12,13,13a,13b-hexadecahydrocyclopenta[a]chrysen-9-ol

PubChem CID 72326 ↗

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. 2Betulin. PubChem CID 72326. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3BETULIN. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4BETULIN. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=BETULIN