Database/Denaturant/Menthol
Route-dependent · ISO 16128

Is Menthol natural?

It depends. Menthol from corn mint oil or made from pine-turpentine myrcene is natural origin; menthol built from petrochemical m-cresol or isobutylene-based citral is not.

INCI nameMenthol
CAS1490-04-6
FormulaC10H20O · 156.26 Da
FunctionDenaturant · Fragrance
FeedstockMost menthol is crystallised from Chinese corn mint…

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
Natural extractionCorn mint (Mentha arvensis) oil, dementholised and crystallised1.00~65%
From pine-derived citronellalmyrcene from pine turpentine → citronellal → isopulegol → L-menthol (Takasago-type process)1.00part of the ~35% synthetic supply
From m-cresol or petrochemical citralthymol from m-cresol and propylene, or citral built from isobutylene, hydrogenated to menthol0.00part of the ~35% synthetic supply
Ask your supplier. A batch-specific certificate of origin or bio-based carbon test (ASTM D6866) settles which route applies.

How we scored it

Corn-mint menthol and synthetic menthol made from pine-turpentine myrcene (via citronellal) are whole natural terpenoids = 1.00; menthol made from m-cresol or isobutylene-based citral = 0.00. Not averaged.
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.

How it’s made

Citronellal → isopulegol (intramolecular carbonyl-ene). The film draws the key step and names the steps after it. Each curved arrow moves one electron pair, and the film ends on the score above.

Where it comes from

Most menthol is crystallised from Chinese corn mint (Mentha arvensis) oil. Synthetic L-menthol made from pine-turpentine myrcene through citronellal and isopulegol also counts as natural origin; menthol made from petrochemical m-cresol (via thymol) or isobutylene-based citral does not.

In plain English

A cooling, minty ingredient prized for its fresh tingling sensation. Usually crystallised from corn mint oil; synthetic menthol is natural origin when made from pine terpenes and petrochemical when made from cresol or petrochemical citral.

CosIng definition: Menthol / DL-menthol / L-menthol

Natural alternatives with the same function

Anethole 100% natural origin

A sweet, licorice-like fragrance and flavour ingredient, the main component of anise and star anise oil. It is…

 Boric Acid 100% natural origin

A mild mineral acid mined from natural borate deposits or brine. Used in small amounts to buffer pH,…

 Brucine Sulfate 100% natural origin

The sulfate salt of brucine, a bitter plant alkaloid extracted from Strychnos nux-vomica seeds, used in tiny amounts…

 Camphor 100% natural origin

A cooling, sharp-scented ingredient traditionally distilled from camphor tree wood, though most today is made from pine tree…

 Carapa Guaianensis Seed Oil 100% natural origin

A vegetable oil pressed from andiroba tree seeds, used to condition skin. Produced simply by pressing the oil…

 Carapa Guianensis Seed Oil 100% natural origin

A conditioning oil pressed from the seeds of the Amazonian andiroba tree, used to soften skin in balms…

Structure

2D structure of Menthol

5-methyl-2-propan-2-ylcyclohexan-1-ol

PubChem CID 1254 ↗

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. 2Menthol. PubChem CID 1254. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3MENTHOL. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4MENTHOL. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=MENTHOL