LACTIC ACID ●
TL;DR. This ingredient primarily functions as a pH adjuster, humectant, and exfoliating acid in skin care. It helps lower formula pH and can smooth the look of skin by loosening surface-cell buildup.
What does LACTIC ACID do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient primarily functions as a pH adjuster, humectant, and exfoliating acid in skin care. It helps lower formula pH and can smooth the look of skin by loosening surface-cell buildup.
Is LACTIC ACID clean?
Clean-beauty frameworks generally view it as acceptable and familiar, with the main caveat being stinging or irritation at higher levels or low pH. It is not a common restricted-list concern when formulated within normal cosmetic pH and use limits.
Is LACTIC ACID sustainable?
This material is commonly made by fermentation of plant-derived sugars, though petrochemical routes also exist. It is readily biodegradable and does not raise major persistence or bioaccumulation concerns.
Is LACTIC ACID COSMOS-approved?
It is permitted under COSMOS natural and organic standards when it meets the standard’s sourcing and processing rules. It aligns well with Green Chemistry when fermentation-derived, because it can use renewable feedstocks and has a favorable biodegradability profile.
How does LACTIC ACID work chemically?
The molecule is a small chiral 2-hydroxy carboxylic acid with a pKa around 3.86, so the free-acid fraction depends strongly on final formula pH. Typical use is below 1% for pH adjustment, while exfoliating products often use several percent at an acidic pH, with buffering and packaging chosen to maintain stability and skin tolerability.
Last updated 2026-05-13