How we scored it
Palmitic acid (256.4, oleochemical) + arginine (174.2, fermentation) − H2O (18, condensation, no mass loss to petro) = 412.6, matches MW; both fragments natural → 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
Made by amide-coupling palm/coconut-derived palmitic acid with L-arginine from microbial fermentation. Assumes oleochemical fatty-acid supply typical for cosmetic grade; a minor synthetic-fatty-acid route exists industrially.
In plain English
A conditioning ingredient made by joining palm-oil fatty acid to the amino acid arginine. Used in hair and skin products to help condition. Built from plant oil and a fermentation-derived amino acid.
Structure
(2S)-5-(diaminomethylideneamino)-2-(hexadecanoylamino)pentanoic 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.
- 2Palmitoyl Arginine. PubChem CID 11223678. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
- 3PALMITOYL ARGININE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
- 4PALMITOYL ARGININE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=PALMITOYL%20ARGININE