Impatiens Balsamina Extract (凤仙花) — INCI Entries, Lawsone and Staining
Garden balsam is the third botanical in our nail care cream, and the only one with a traditional use on nails: in China and Korea its flowers were crushed to dye fingernails orange. The molecule behind that colour is why your reviewer will ask about naphthoquinone content, and why you should check the wrap for staining before you print the carton.
The ingredient at a glance
Two INCI entries, one decision
Garden balsam has two entries in CosIng, and they are not a matter of preference. INCI names describe the part of the plant the extract was made from, so the right one is whichever matches the extract specification.
| Flower Extract | Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract | |
|---|---|---|
| Made from | Flowers only | Flowers, leaves and stems |
| CosIng reference | 56706 | Separate entry |
| Fits our formula when | The extract uses flowers alone | The extract uses flower and stem material |
| What decides it | The extract specification | The extract specification |
Our formulation notes describe the part used as flower and stem, which points to the aerial-parts entry. We say “points to” because the declaration is made from the specification of the extract batch, not from a website, and your reviewer should make it from the document we send.
The nail-dyeing history, and the molecule behind it
In China and Korea, 凤仙花 petals were crushed, often with alum, and bound onto fingernails overnight, leaving them orange. The colloquial name 指甲花, “nail flower”, comes from this use.
The colour comes from naphthoquinones in the plant, principally lawsone, the same dye molecule that gives henna its colour, and its methyl ether. That has two practical consequences for a buyer.
1. Look for staining on the sample
A cream used under a wrap for five to seven days keeps the extract against the nail for a long time. Whether it leaves any tint on the nail, the surrounding skin or the bandage depends on the extract and its level in the cream. Check it during the sample evaluation, then decide how your packaging and instructions describe it. If a tint appears, state it on the pack.
2. Expect the safety assessor to ask about lawsone
Lawsone has been reviewed by the EU Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety, in the context of henna used as a hair dye. A cosmetic nail cream is a different product and a lower exposure, but an assessor who sees Impatiens balsamina on a formula will know the plant carries lawsone and will want the naphthoquinone content of the extract. The specification should state it.
What the extract specification should state
- Botanical identity and the exact plant part, because it decides the INCI entry.
- Extraction solvent and the carrier the extract is supplied in.
- Drug-to-extract ratio.
- Naphthoquinone content, or lawsone specifically, with the analytical method.
- Any preservative already present in the extract.
- Limits for heavy metals, pesticide residues and microbiology.
Common questions
Which INCI name should I use for Impatiens balsamina?
It depends on the plant part the extract is made from. Impatiens Balsamina Flower Extract (CosIng 56706) covers a flower-only extract. Impatiens Balsamina Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract is a separate entry for an extract of the aerial parts. Our formulation notes give the part as flower and stem, so the extract specification decides which entry applies, and the declaration must match it.
What functions does CosIng list for it?
Astringent and masking for the flower extract. Those are the cosmetic functions a label can rely on.
Will the cream stain nails or bandages?
Possibly. Check it on a sample. Garden balsam contains lawsone, the same orange dye molecule as henna, which is why the flowers have been used to colour nails for centuries. Whether it shows depends on the extract and its level in the cream. Test it on the wrap routine before you write your packaging.
Is lawsone a regulatory concern?
It is a question your safety assessor will raise. Lawsone has been reviewed by the EU Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety in the context of henna hair dyes, so the assessor will want the naphthoquinone content of the extract. The extract specification answers it.
Can I market the nail-dyeing history?
Yes, as heritage. What you cannot do is turn it into a performance claim beyond what the cosmetic category and your own product testing support.
Get the specification and a sample together
The specification answers the INCI and lawsone questions. A single stock unit answers the staining question. Both can be on their way the same week.
More sourcing guides
Sources and where to check
- European Commission — CosIng cosmetic ingredient database — reference 56706 and the flower/leaf/stem entry
- Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 on cosmetic products — Annex I on the cosmetic product safety report
- Our formulation overview — the keratolytic base and all three botanicals
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