Glucose ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is used mainly as a humectant and skin-conditioning agent, helping bind water in the formula and on the skin surface. It can also support texture and mild soothing claims in water-based products.
What does Glucose do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is used mainly as a humectant and skin-conditioning agent, helping bind water in the formula and on the skin surface. It can also support texture and mild soothing claims in water-based products.
Is Glucose clean?
This ingredient is generally well-tolerated, low in irritation potential, and not a common clean-standard restricted-list concern. It is a familiar cosmetic material with little controversy when properly preserved in finished formulas.
Is Glucose sustainable?
This material is commonly sourced from renewable plant starches such as corn, wheat, or other carbohydrate crops. It is readily biodegradable and does not raise persistence or bioaccumulation concerns.
Is Glucose COSMOS-approved?
It is permitted under COSMOS-natural and COSMOS-organic when sourced and processed according to the standard. From a Green Chemistry perspective, it aligns well because it can come from renewable feedstocks, is water-compatible, and breaks down readily in the environment.
How does Glucose work chemically?
The molecule is a six-carbon reducing sugar with multiple hydroxyl groups, which explains its water solubility and moisture-binding behavior. It is stable across typical cosmetic pH ranges, but water-rich formulas containing it need an effective preservation system because it can serve as a nutrient source for microbes.
Last updated 2026-05-13