How we scored it
Root extract: all mass is plant-derived (alkaloids, sugars, lipids); extraction solvent leaves no mass. Natural 1.0 / total 1.0 = 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
Dried Rauwolfia serpentina roots are extracted with water, alcohol or a glycol/glycerin mix, and the extract is concentrated or standardised. No synthetic route exists, and any carrier solvent is declared separately on the label.
In plain English
A root extract from Indian snakeroot, a shrub of South and Southeast Asia, listed for astringent and skin-conditioning use, meaning it gives skin a tightened, smoother feel. It is made by soaking the dried root in a solvent and keeping the dissolved plant compounds.
CosIng definition: Rauwolfia Serpentina Extract is an extract of the roots of the Rauwolfia, Rauwolfia serpentina (L.), Apocynaceae
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.
- 2RAUWOLFIA SERPENTINA EXTRACT. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
- 3RAUWOLFIA SERPENTINA EXTRACT. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=RAUWOLFIA%20SERPENTINA%20EXTRACT