Citric Acid. Formula 718-0 ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is primarily used as a pH adjuster and buffering acid in skin, hair, and cleansing formulas. It can also support mild exfoliation at higher acid levels and help bind trace metal ions that can affect it stability.
What does Citric Acid. Formula 718-0 do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is primarily used as a pH adjuster and buffering acid in skin, hair, and cleansing formulas. It can also support mild exfoliation at higher acid levels and help bind trace metal ions that can affect it stability.
Is Citric Acid. Formula 718-0 clean?
Clean-beauty frameworks generally treat it as well-tolerated and unproblematic. Sensory stinging can occur when a finished it has a low pH or a high acid load, so the final product context matters.
Is Citric Acid. Formula 718-0 sustainable?
This ingredient is commonly produced by fermentation of sugar or starch feedstocks and is readily biodegradable. Its sustainability profile is generally strong, with the main variable being the agricultural source of the fermentation substrate.
Is Citric Acid. Formula 718-0 COSMOS-approved?
It is permitted under COSMOS-natural and COSMOS-organic standards when used appropriately. It fits Green Chemistry principles well because it can be fermentation-derived, biodegradable, and effective at low use levels.
How does Citric Acid. Formula 718-0 work chemically?
The molecule is a small organic acid with three carboxyl groups and one hydroxyl group, giving it buffering behavior across pKa values around 3.1, 4.8, and 6.4. Typical use is about 0.05% to 0.5% for pH adjustment, with higher levels in acid-focused formulas, and it also chelates metal ions that can accelerate discoloration or oxidation.
Last updated 2026-05-14