METHYL ANTHRANILATE
Methyl Anthranilate is the methyl ester of anthranilic acid. It is an aromatic compound: PubChem descriptions characterize it as a liquid with a grape-like odour, and some descriptions also evoke orange blossom. That sensory character, rather than a treatment effect, is what makes it relevant in fragranced products.
METHYL ANTHRANILATE: what it is
Methyl Anthranilate is the methyl ester of anthranilic acid. It is an aromatic compound: PubChem descriptions characterize it as a liquid with a grape-like odour, and some descriptions also evoke orange blossom. That sensory character, rather than a treatment effect, is what makes it relevant in fragranced products.
The compound has also been reported naturally in organisms including tea (Camellia sinensis) and mandarin (Citrus reticulata). This helps explain why its scent may read as fruity or floral, but the name on an ingredient list does not reveal whether the material came from a natural source or another production route. The ingredient names the defined substance, not a tea or mandarin extract.
METHYL ANTHRANILATE: what it does in cosmetics
In cosmetics, Methyl Anthranilate is used as a fragrance. In practical terms, it contributes to the scent of a product and can lend a sweet, fruity or floral facet to a perfume. This affects the experience of opening and using a scented soap, lotion, shampoo or similar product; it does not serve the same purpose as ingredients selected to soften the feel of skin or help hold water.
Its grape-like note is a useful clue when recognising a formula's fragrance profile. It can sit beside many other aromatic materials, forming an accord rather than determining the finished scent on its own. Its use is therefore mainly about the perceived perfume, not a promise to hydrate, brighten or treat the skin.
Products containing this ingredient
See which products include it and the name used in each composition.
