Dihydroxyacetone ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is primarily used as a sunless tanning active. It reacts with amino acids in the outermost skin layer to create temporary brown color without functioning as a UV filter.
What does Dihydroxyacetone do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is primarily used as a sunless tanning active. It reacts with amino acids in the outermost skin layer to create temporary brown color without functioning as a UV filter.
Is Dihydroxyacetone clean?
From a clean-beauty perspective, it is generally accepted and not a typical restricted-list ingredient. The main caveats are possible dryness, uneven color, and sensitivity in some users, especially in spray formats where inhalation exposure is harder to control.
Is Dihydroxyacetone sustainable?
This material is commonly made from plant-derived or fermentation-based feedstocks, often linked to sugar or glycerin chemistry. It is water soluble, biodegradable, and not known for environmental persistence or bioaccumulation.
Is Dihydroxyacetone COSMOS-approved?
It can be permitted in COSMOS natural and organic formulations when the grade and manufacturing route meet origin and processing requirements. Its Green Chemistry fit is relatively strong because it can come from renewable feedstocks, is biodegradable, and performs its color-forming role at low use levels.
How does Dihydroxyacetone work chemically?
The molecule is a small three-carbon ketotriose that darkens skin through a Maillard-type reaction with free amino groups in stratum corneum proteins, forming temporary melanoidin pigments. Typical use levels are about 2 to 5 percent for gradual or facial products and 5 to 10 percent for stronger self-tanners, with best stability in mildly acidic water-based systems and reduced exposure to heat, high pH, and amine-containing ingredients.
Last updated 2026-05-13