Database/Antimicrobial/Guaiazulene
Route-dependent · ISO 16128

Is Guaiazulene natural?

It depends. Guaiol-derived guaiazulene keeps all carbons from natural wood-oil terpene; fully synthetic azulene chemistry instead uses petrochemical building blocks.

INCI nameGuaiazulene
CAS489-84-9
FormulaC15H18 · 198.30 Da
FunctionAntimicrobial · Perfuming
FeedstockClassically made by dehydrogenating guaiol extracted from guaiac…

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.

RouteFeedstockNOIShareNotes
Semi-synthesis from natural guaiolguaiac wood oil1.00treated as dominant for cosmetic grade, uncertain exact %
Total chemical synthesispetrochemical azulene precursors0.00minority, uncertain exact %
Ask your supplier. A batch-specific certificate of origin or bio-based carbon test (ASTM D6866) settles which route applies.

How we scored it

Sesquiterpene azulene C15H18, 198.3 Da. Route A: dehydrogenation of natural guaiol from guaiac wood oil (1.0). Route B: total chemical synthesis from petrochemical precursors (0.0). Headline shows the best route (1.00), as for every route-dependent entry on the site.
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

Classically made by dehydrogenating guaiol extracted from guaiac wood oil, treated here as the dominant cosmetic/pharma-grade route; material can also be produced by total chemical synthesis from petrochemical intermediates. Market share between routes is uncertain.

In plain English

A deep blue compound used as a skin-calming and antimicrobial ingredient. It can be made from natural wood-oil terpenes or built up chemically, depending on the manufacturer.

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Structure

2D structure of Guaiazulene

1,4-dimethyl-7-propan-2-ylazulene

PubChem CID 3515 ↗

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. 2Guaiazulene. PubChem CID 3515. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3GUAIAZULENE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4GUAIAZULENE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=GUAIAZULENE