How we scored it
Colourless carotenoid isolated from tomato oleoresin or algal biomass; no commercially significant petrochemical synthesis route in cosmetic supply.
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
Isolated from tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) oleoresin or carotenogenic algae/fungi by extraction. Total chemical synthesis exists for research use but is not the commercial cosmetic route.
In plain English
A natural pigment-precursor from tomatoes or algae that helps protect skin from environmental and light stress. Used in skincare for its antioxidant, light-shielding properties.
CosIng definition: Phytoene is the organic compound that conforms generally to the formula
Structure
(6E,10E,14E,16E,18E,22E,26E)-2,6,10,14,19,23,27,31-octamethyldotriaconta-2,6,10,14,16,18,22,26,30-nonaene
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.
- 2Phytoene. PubChem CID 5280784. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
- 3PHYTOENE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
- 4PHYTOENE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=PHYTOENE