Database/Uv Absorber/Glycol Salicylate
100% petroleum · ISO 16128

Is Glycol Salicylate natural?

No. Both building blocks, salicylic acid and ethylene glycol, are petrochemical; no natural or mineral fragment is present.

INCI nameGlycol Salicylate
CAS87-28-5
FormulaC9H10O4 · 182.17 Da
FunctionUv Absorber
FeedstockManufactured by esterifying petroleum-derived salicylic acid with ethylene…

How we scored it

Ester of salicylic acid (petrochemical phenol derivative) + ethylene glycol (from ethylene oxide). Both fragments 0. 0/182.17 = 0.0.
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

Manufactured by esterifying petroleum-derived salicylic acid with ethylene glycol, itself made from ethylene oxide. No natural-origin production route exists.

In plain English

A synthetic UV-filtering ingredient formed from salicylic acid and ethylene glycol, both petrochemical building blocks. It helps absorb UV light in sunscreens and other products.

Natural alternatives with the same function

Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract 100% natural origin

An extract of sunflower seeds used in skincare and haircare to condition skin and hair and offer mild…

 Manganese Oxide 100% natural origin

A dark mineral powder that absorbs ultraviolet and visible light, used in small amounts as a colourant or…

 Spirulina Platensis Powder 100% natural origin

A powder made from dried, ground Spirulina algae. Used in skincare to help protect and condition the skin.

 Tocotrienols 100% natural origin

A form of vitamin E extracted from sources like palm oil, rice bran, or annatto. Used in skin…

 Zinc Ascorbate Hydroxide 100% natural origin

A zinc salt of vitamin C made by reacting ascorbic acid with zinc chloride and sodium hydroxide. It…

Structure

2D structure of Glycol Salicylate

2-hydroxyethyl 2-hydroxybenzoate

PubChem CID 6880 ↗

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. 2Glycol Salicylate. PubChem CID 6880. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3GLYCOL SALICYLATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4GLYCOL SALICYLATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=GLYCOL%20SALICYLATE