Database/Denaturant/Camphor
100% natural origin · ISO 16128

Is Camphor natural?

Yes. Natural camphor is distilled from camphor laurel wood; most 'synthetic' camphor is chemically converted from natural pine turpentine, not petroleum.

INCI nameCamphor
CAS464-49-3
FormulaC10H16O · 152.23 Da
FunctionDenaturant · Fragrance
FeedstockProduced either by distillation from Cinnamomum camphora wood…

How we scored it

Extracted camphor: whole natural terpenoid, 1.0. Main 'synthetic' route converts alpha-pinene from pine turpentine, also a natural feedstock, ~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

Produced either by distillation from Cinnamomum camphora wood or by chemical conversion of alpha-pinene from pine turpentine, both plant-derived. No significant petrochemical route exists.

In plain English

A cooling, sharp-scented ingredient traditionally distilled from camphor tree wood, though most today is made from pine tree turpentine. Used for its fresh, tingling effect.

Structure

2D structure of Camphor

1,7,7-trimethylbicyclo[2.2.1]heptan-2-one

PubChem CID 2537 ↗

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. 2Camphor. PubChem CID 2537. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3CAMPHOR. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4CAMPHOR. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=CAMPHOR