How we scored it
Alginate polysaccharide extracted from brown seaweed, neutralised as potassium salt; algal polysaccharide plus mineral counter-ion, both 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
Extracted from brown seaweed (kelp) cell walls and converted to the potassium salt. No petrochemical alternative route exists.
In plain English
A thickener and stabiliser extracted from brown seaweed, used to give lotions and gels body and hold emulsions together.
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.
- 2POTASSIUM ALGINATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
- 3POTASSIUM ALGINATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=POTASSIUM%20ALGINATE