How we scored it
Fermentation/biomass-derived short-chain keto acid; entirely natural per this site's method's explicit listing. 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 acid-catalysed conversion of natural sugars or cellulosic biomass (e.g. corn stover). Both known routes are biomass-based, so no petrochemical alternative is commercially significant.
In plain English
A naturally derived acid used for skin conditioning and mild fragrance. It's made by processing plant sugars or cellulose from biomass.
Structure
4-oxopentanoic acid
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.
- 2Levulinic Acid. PubChem CID 11579. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
- 3LEVULINIC ACID. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
- 4LEVULINIC ACID. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=LEVULINIC%20ACID