Database/Bleaching/Potassium Methoxysalicylate
Mostly petroleum · ISO 16128

Is Potassium Methoxysalicylate natural?

Mostly not. Aromatic salicylate ring is a petrochemical phenol derivative; only the potassium counter-ion is natural mineral mass.

INCI namePotassium Methoxysalicylate
CAS152312-71-5
FormulaC8H7KO4 · 206.24 Da
FunctionBleaching
FeedstockManufactured by methoxylating salicylic acid (a petrochemical phenol…

How we scored it

Methoxysalicylate anion C8H7O4 (167.1, petrochemical, phenol/salicylate) + K+ (39.1, natural mineral) = 39.1/206.2 = 0.19.
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

Manufactured by methoxylating salicylic acid (a petrochemical phenol derivative) and neutralising with potassium hydroxide. No natural extraction route is used commercially.

In plain English

A manufactured salicylic-acid derivative paired with potassium. Used in small amounts as a skin-brightening or bleaching ingredient.

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Structure

2D structure of Potassium Methoxysalicylate

potassium 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzoate

PubChem CID 23683261 ↗

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. 2Potassium Methoxysalicylate. PubChem CID 23683261. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3POTASSIUM METHOXYSALICYLATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4POTASSIUM METHOXYSALICYLATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=POTASSIUM%20METHOXYSALICYLATE