Itaconic Acid ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is used mainly as a pH adjuster and buffering acid in personal care formulas. It can also support mild chelation and serve as a reactive building block in film-forming or conditioning polymers.
What does Itaconic Acid do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is used mainly as a pH adjuster and buffering acid in personal care formulas. It can also support mild chelation and serve as a reactive building block in film-forming or conditioning polymers.
Is Itaconic Acid clean?
From a clean-beauty perspective, it is generally low-concern, with no major restricted-list friction in typical cosmetic use. Like many organic acids, it can sting or irritate if used at a low final pH or at higher concentrations.
Is Itaconic Acid sustainable?
This material is commonly made by fermentation of plant-derived sugars, so it can be sourced from renewable feedstocks rather than petroleum. It is water-soluble and expected to biodegrade readily, with low persistence concerns.
Is Itaconic Acid COSMOS-approved?
It is generally compatible with COSMOS-natural and COSMOS-organic frameworks when supplied as a compliant fermentation-derived or otherwise permitted raw material. Its renewable production route, efficient aqueous processing, and good biodegradability fit Green Chemistry principles well.
How does Itaconic Acid work chemically?
The molecule is a C5 unsaturated dicarboxylic acid with two acid groups and a carbon-carbon double bond, giving pKa values around 3.8 and 5.4. In finished formulas it is typically used at low, pH-adjusting levels, often below 1%, and its alkene can also be used for free-radical polymer chemistry in derivative materials.
Last updated 2026-05-13