Fructan ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is used mainly as a humectant and skin-conditioning agent, helping bind water and support a smoother feel. It can also add light film-forming and prebiotic-positioning benefits in leave-on formulas.
What does Fructan do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is used mainly as a humectant and skin-conditioning agent, helping bind water and support a smoother feel. It can also add light film-forming and prebiotic-positioning benefits in leave-on formulas.
Is Fructan clean?
It is generally well-tolerated and has little clean-standard friction, with no common restricted-list issues. Sensitization is not a typical concern, though very sugar-rich formulas can feel tacky depending on level and base.
Is Fructan sustainable?
This material is typically plant-derived from carbohydrate-rich crops and is readily biodegradable. Its sustainability profile depends mostly on agricultural sourcing, water use, and processing choices rather than persistence in the environment.
Is Fructan COSMOS-approved?
It is generally compatible with COSMOS-natural and COSMOS-organic frameworks when sourced and processed according to the standard. From a Green Chemistry view, it aligns well because it can come from renewable feedstock, is biodegradable, and is usually handled in water-based processing.
How does Fructan work chemically?
The molecule is a water-soluble carbohydrate polymer built from fructose units, sometimes with a terminal glucose unit depending on botanical source. It is typically used in the water phase at low single-digit percentages, is stable across normal cosmetic pH ranges, and can hydrolyze under strong acid plus heat.
Last updated 2026-05-13