Citric Acid. May Contain: CI 77491 ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is primarily a pH adjuster and buffering aid, used to bring formulas into a skin-appropriate range. It can also help bind trace metals, which supports formula stability and preservative performance.
What does Citric Acid. May Contain: CI 77491 do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is primarily a pH adjuster and buffering aid, used to bring formulas into a skin-appropriate range. It can also help bind trace metals, which supports formula stability and preservative performance.
Is Citric Acid. May Contain: CI 77491 clean?
Clean-beauty frameworks generally treat this ingredient as well-established and unproblematic. Sensitivity is usually tied to low final formula pH rather than the molecule itself, where it may cause stinging on compromised or very reactive skin.
Is Citric Acid. May Contain: CI 77491 sustainable?
This material is commonly produced by fermentation of sugar or starch feedstocks and is readily biodegradable. Its water solubility, efficient manufacture, and low persistence profile give it a strong sustainability fit.
Is Citric Acid. May Contain: CI 77491 COSMOS-approved?
It is permitted in COSMOS-natural and COSMOS-organic formulations when it meets the standard’s sourcing and processing requirements. It aligns well with Green Chemistry principles because it is typically fermentation-derived, biodegradable, and used effectively at low levels.
How does Citric Acid. May Contain: CI 77491 work chemically?
The molecule is a small, water-soluble hydroxy polycarboxylic acid with three dissociation steps, giving useful buffering behavior across acidic pH ranges. Typical use is about 0.05% to 0.5% for pH adjustment, with higher levels possible in acidic treatment products depending on the target pH and overall acid system.
Last updated 2026-05-16