How we scored it
Steam-distillate water of lemon balm: water (n=1) plus trace plant volatiles (n=1). 1.00 x 100% = 1.00.
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
Dominant route is steam distillation of lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), keeping the aqueous distillate (hydrosol) rather than the oil. No synthetic alternative exists.
In plain English
The water collected when lemon balm flowers, leaves and stems are steam-distilled. It is mostly water with traces of the plant's aroma compounds. It is listed as a skin-conditioning ingredient.
CosIng definition: Melissa Officinalis Flower/Leaf/Stem Water is an aqueous solution of the steam distillates obtained from the flowers, leaves and stems of the Balmint, Melissa officinalis L., Labiatae
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.
- 2MELISSA OFFICINALIS FLOWER/LEAF/STEM WATER. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
- 3MELISSA OFFICINALIS FLOWER/LEAF/STEM WATER. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=MELISSA%20OFFICINALIS%20FLOWER/LEAF/STEM%20WATER