Why the score varies
This ingredient is made commercially by more than one route, and ISO 16128 scores the feedstock actually used. Without a supplier certificate of origin the value cannot be claimed.
| Route | Feedstock | NOI | Share | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Petrochemical DBE byproduct | Cyclohexane/benzene via the adipic-acid (nylon-6,6) co-product stream, esterified with methanol | 0.00 | majority of cosmetic solvent-grade supply | |
| Bio-succinic acid fermentation | Fermented glucose/sucrose succinic acid esterified with petrochemical methanol | 0.79 | minority, growing |
How we scored it
Where it comes from
The petrochemical DBE (dibasic ester) route dominates commercial supply of this cosmetic solvent, as a byproduct of nylon-intermediate (adipic acid) manufacture. A fermentation-based bio-succinic-acid route, esterified with petrochemical methanol, is commercially available but is not the typical source for this ingredient.
In plain English
A solvent and fragrance ingredient that also helps condition skin, used to dissolve other ingredients in formulations. Typically produced from petrochemical feedstocks as part of a byproduct stream from nylon manufacturing, though a plant-fermentation route also exists.
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Structure
dimethyl butanedioate
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.
- 2Dimethyl Succinate. PubChem CID 7820. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
- 3DIMETHYL SUCCINATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
- 4DIMETHYL SUCCINATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=DIMETHYL%20SUCCINATE