Database/Bulking/Boron Nitride
Mostly petroleum · ISO 16128

Is Boron Nitride natural?

Mostly not. Boron traces to mineral borax/boric acid (natural); nitrogen is introduced via ammonia or urea made from natural gas (petrochemical per this site's method).

INCI nameBoron Nitride
CAS10043-11-5
FormulaBN · 24.82 Da
FunctionBulking · Slip Modifier
FeedstockManufactured by reacting a boron source (boric acid…

How we scored it

BN (24.82 Da) = B 10.81 Da (natural, from borax/boric acid) + N 14.01 Da (petrochemical, natural-gas ammonia); 10.81/24.82 = 0.44.
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

Manufactured by reacting a boron source (boric acid or borax, mineral-derived) with a nitrogen source (ammonia or urea, made from natural gas) at high temperature. This is a fully synthetic ceramic material with no natural mined equivalent in commercial use.

In plain English

A fine, silky powder used to add slip and bulk to powders and makeup. It is manufactured by reacting a boron mineral source with an ammonia or urea nitrogen source at high temperature.

CosIng definition: Boron Nitride is the inorganic compound that conforms to the formula

Natural alternatives with the same function

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 Aluminum Magnesium Oxide 100% natural origin

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 Aluminum Silicate 100% natural origin

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 Aluminum Zinc Oxide 100% natural origin

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 Ananas Sativus Fruit Powder 100% natural origin

A powder made from dried, ground pineapple plant material, used to add texture or mild exfoliation to formulas.…

Structure

2D structure of Boron Nitride

azanylidyneborane

PubChem CID 66227 ↗

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. 2Boron Nitride. PubChem CID 66227. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3BORON NITRIDE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4BORON NITRIDE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=BORON%20NITRIDE