Dehyroacetic Acid ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is an antimicrobial preservative used mainly to control yeasts and molds in water-containing formulas. It is often paired with other preservatives to broaden bacterial coverage.
What does Dehyroacetic Acid do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is an antimicrobial preservative used mainly to control yeasts and molds in water-containing formulas. It is often paired with other preservatives to broaden bacterial coverage.
Is Dehyroacetic Acid clean?
From a clean-beauty perspective, it is generally accepted at regulated levels and has a low sensitization profile, though it can sting on compromised skin or around the eyes. It is usually viewed as a permitted synthetic preservative rather than a botanical or minimally processed material.
Is Dehyroacetic Acid sustainable?
This material is typically made synthetically from small organic building blocks, and renewable sourcing is not its main strength. It is used at low levels and is not known for bioaccumulation, but its sourcing profile is less circular than many plant-derived preservatives or multifunctional acids.
Is Dehyroacetic Acid COSMOS-approved?
It is permitted under COSMOS-natural and COSMOS-organic as an allowed preservative, subject to regulatory concentration limits. Its Green Chemistry profile is mixed: low-dose preservation supports product longevity, but common manufacture is synthetic and not strongly renewable.
How does Dehyroacetic Acid work chemically?
The molecule is a small heterocyclic organic acid with enolic character and a pKa around 5.3, so antimicrobial performance is stronger in acidic systems where more of it remains unionized. In the EU, it is allowed up to 0.6% as the active form, and formulators commonly use about 0.1% to 0.6%, often with co-preservatives to broaden coverage.
Last updated 2026-05-13