Database/Hair Dyeing/m-Phenylenediamine Sulfate
Mostly petroleum · ISO 16128

Is m-Phenylenediamine Sulfate natural?

Mostly not. The phenylenediamine core is petrochemical benzene-derived; the sulfate counter-ion is natural mineral origin.

INCI namem-Phenylenediamine Sulfate
CAS541-70-8
FormulaC6H10N2O4S · 206.22 Da
FunctionHair Dyeing
Feedstockm-Phenylenediamine is synthesized from petrochemical benzene by nitration/reduction,…

How we scored it

C6H8N2 (petrochemical benzenediamine) 108.14 Da + H2SO4 (natural sulfate) 98.08 Da → 98.08/206.22 = 0.48.
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

m-Phenylenediamine is synthesized from petrochemical benzene by nitration/reduction, then salted with mineral sulfuric acid for a permanent hair-dye intermediate. No alternative route exists.

In plain English

A synthetic aromatic dye intermediate, sold as its sulfate salt, used in permanent hair-colour formulas to build brown and other shades.

Natural alternatives with the same function

Beta Vulgaris Root Powder 100% natural origin

A powder made by drying and grinding sugar beet root. Used as a natural colorant for hair dye…

 Bismuth Citrate 100% natural origin

A salt formed from bismuth metal and citric acid, a natural fermentation-derived fruit acid, used to buffer, chelate…

 Dihydroxyacetone 100% natural origin

The active self-tanning ingredient that reacts with skin's surface proteins to produce a temporary bronze colour; made by…

 Epicatechin 100% natural origin

An antioxidant compound naturally found in tea and cocoa, used in skin, hair and oral care. It's extracted…

 Lawsonia Inermis Extract 100% natural origin

A plant extract from the henna shrub, used to condition hair and skin and add a reddish tint.…

 Pyrogallol 100% natural origin

A hair-dye ingredient traditionally made by heating gallic acid, itself extracted from plant tannins in gallnuts, until it…

Structure

2D structure of m-Phenylenediamine Sulfate

benzene-1,3-diamine;sulfuric acid

PubChem CID 10942 ↗

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. 2m-Phenylenediamine Sulfate. PubChem CID 10942. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3M-PHENYLENEDIAMINE SULFATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4M-PHENYLENEDIAMINE SULFATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=M-PHENYLENEDIAMINE%20SULFATE