Calamine has a Natural Origin Index (NOI) of 1.00 (scale 0–1) per ISO 16128. Both zinc oxide and iron oxide are mineral-derived pigments, explicitly listed as natural origin regardless of purification method. An NOI of 1.00 means 100% of its molecular mass is traceable to a natural, renewable source.

Is Calamine natural? NOI 1.00

How we scored it

Mixture of zinc oxide and iron(III) oxide, both minerals explicitly natural origin under ISO 16128. 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

A blend of zinc oxide, from roasted zinc ore or processed zinc metal, with a small proportion of iron oxide for colour. Both are classed as natural-origin minerals under ISO 16128.

In plain English

A pink mineral powder made of zinc oxide and iron oxide, long used to soothe and protect irritated skin, produced from processed mineral ore.

CosIng definition: Calamine (zinc oxide and ferric oxide)

Structure

zinc;bis(iron(3+));tetrakis(oxygen(2-))

PubChem CID 23083748 ↗

References

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.
2Calamine. PubChem CID 23083748. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
3CALAMINE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
4CALAMINE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=CALAMINE