Database/Hair Dyeing/Sodium Picramate
Mostly petroleum · ISO 16128

Is Sodium Picramate natural?

Mostly not. The aromatic nitrophenolate dye backbone is entirely synthetic from petrochemical phenol chemistry; only the sodium counter-ion counts as natural.

INCI nameSodium Picramate
CAS831-52-7
FormulaC6H4N3NaO5 · 221.10 Da
FunctionHair Dyeing
FeedstockManufactured by nitrating and aminating a phenol derivative…

How we scored it

Synthetic aminodinitrophenolate dye core (198.1 Da, petrochemical) + Na counter-ion (23.0 Da, natural); 23.0/221.1=0.10.
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 nitrating and aminating a phenol derivative from petrochemical benzene, then neutralising with sodium hydroxide. No natural or bio-based route exists for this synthetic hair-dye intermediate.

In plain English

A synthetic hair-dye ingredient made from petrochemical aromatic chemicals, used in permanent and semi-permanent hair colour products to help form dye shades.

Natural alternatives with the same function

Beta Vulgaris Root Powder 100% natural origin

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 Epicatechin 100% natural origin

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 Lawsonia Inermis Extract 100% natural origin

A plant extract from the henna shrub, used to condition hair and skin and add a reddish tint.…

 Pyrogallol 100% natural origin

A hair-dye ingredient traditionally made by heating gallic acid, itself extracted from plant tannins in gallnuts, until it…

Structure

2D structure of Sodium Picramate

sodium 2-amino-4,6-dinitrophenolate

PubChem CID 5362461 ↗

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. 2Sodium Picramate. PubChem CID 5362461. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3SODIUM PICRAMATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4SODIUM PICRAMATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=SODIUM%20PICRAMATE