C12-15 Alkyl Lactate ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is primarily an emollient and slip agent that gives creams, lotions, sunscreens, and makeup a lighter, less greasy skin feel. It can also help dissolve or disperse oily actives, pigments, and UV filter systems.
What does C12-15 Alkyl Lactate do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is primarily an emollient and slip agent that gives creams, lotions, sunscreens, and makeup a lighter, less greasy skin feel. It can also help dissolve or disperse oily actives, pigments, and UV filter systems.
Is C12-15 Alkyl Lactate clean?
This ingredient is generally well tolerated and has little clean-standard controversy compared with many synthetic-feel emollients. The main clean-beauty caveat is origin and processing transparency, since it may be made from mixed renewable and petrochemical feedstocks depending on the supplier.
Is C12-15 Alkyl Lactate sustainable?
This material can be made from plant-derived or synthetic fatty alcohol inputs, so its sustainability profile depends on sourcing documentation. It is expected to biodegrade more readily than silicone fluids or highly persistent film-formers, but palm-linked feedstocks may be part of the supply chain.
Is C12-15 Alkyl Lactate COSMOS-approved?
It can align with COSMOS-natural when made from approved natural-origin feedstocks using permitted esterification chemistry, but the INCI alone does not confirm compliance. From a Green Chemistry view, it scores better when sourced from renewable inputs and used as a biodegradable alternative to less degradable emollients.
How does C12-15 Alkyl Lactate work chemically?
The molecule is a mixture of medium-chain esters with a polar hydroxyl-containing acid portion and C12-C15 it tails, which gives both spreadability and oil-phase compatibility. It is commonly used in the low single digits to around 10% in emulsions and anhydrous products, and it is generally stable in typical cosmetic pH ranges but can hydrolyze under strongly acidic or alkaline conditions.
Last updated 2026-05-13