Database/Antioxidant/Cysteine HCl
100% natural origin · ISO 16128

Is Cysteine HCl natural?

Yes. Cysteine is produced by fermentation or protein hydrolysis, both natural routes; the hydrochloride counter-ion is mineral-derived.

INCI nameCysteine HCl
CAS52-89-1
FormulaC3H8ClNO2S · 157.62 Da
FunctionAntioxidant · Hair Conditioning
FeedstockL-Cysteine HCl is produced by fermenting sugars or…

How we scored it

Amino acid (fermentation or keratin-hydrolysate) hydrochloride; chloride is treated as a natural mineral counter-ion (cf. sodium chloride). 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

L-Cysteine HCl is produced by fermenting sugars or by acid-hydrolysing keratin protein from feathers or hair, then forming the hydrochloride salt. Both commercial production routes are natural origin.

In plain English

The hydrochloride form of cysteine, an amino acid used in hair-waving and straightening products and as an antioxidant. Cysteine comes from protein hydrolysis or fermentation, both natural, renewable sources.

Structure

2D structure of Cysteine HCl

(2R)-2-amino-3-sulfanylpropanoic acid;hydrochloride

PubChem CID 60960 ↗

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. 2Cysteine HCl. PubChem CID 60960. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3CYSTEINE HCL. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4CYSTEINE HCL. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=CYSTEINE%20HCL