Curcumin has a Natural Origin Index (NOI) of 1.00 (scale 0–1) per ISO 16128. Curcumin sold as a cosmetic colorant/antioxidant is extracted from turmeric; lab total-synthesis exists but has no commercial market share. An NOI of 1.00 means 100% of its molecular mass is traceable to a natural, renewable source.

Is Curcumin natural? NOI 1.00

How we scored it

Phytochemical isolated by extraction/purification from turmeric rhizome; no commercially significant petrochemical synthesis route = 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 and purified from the rhizome of turmeric, Curcuma longa. A chemical total synthesis exists in the literature but is not used commercially for cosmetic-grade material.

In plain English

A bright yellow antioxidant pigment extracted from turmeric root. Used to colour and protect formulations, it comes straight from the spice plant rather than being made synthetically.

CosIng definition: 1,7-bis(4-Hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)hepta-1,6-dien-3,5-dione, (E,E)- / (CI 75300)

Structure

(1E,6E)-1,7-bis(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)hepta-1,6-diene-3,5-dione

PubChem CID 969516 ↗

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.
2Curcumin. PubChem CID 969516. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
3CURCUMIN. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
4CURCUMIN. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=CURCUMIN