How we scored it
Whole-plant leaf extract; every atom traces to witch hazel leaf, no fragments to split. 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
Produced by water or hydro-alcoholic extraction of Hamamelis virginiana leaves. No petrochemical alternative route exists for a botanical extract.
In plain English
A liquid made by soaking witch hazel leaves in water or alcohol to draw out plant compounds. Used in toners and lotions as a skin-conditioning ingredient. Comes from the witch hazel shrub, a plant native to eastern North America.
CosIng definition: Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract is the extract of the leaves of the Witch hazel, Hamamelis virginiana L., Hamamelidaceae
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.
- 2HAMAMELIS VIRGINIANA LEAF EXTRACT. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
- 3HAMAMELIS VIRGINIANA LEAF EXTRACT. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=HAMAMELIS%20VIRGINIANA%20LEAF%20EXTRACT