Oleanolic Acid ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is used as a skin-conditioning active, mainly for soothing, antioxidant support, and sebum-balancing claims in leave-on products. It is not a preservative or structural emulsifier, so it is usually added as a low-level functional active.
What does Oleanolic Acid do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is used as a skin-conditioning active, mainly for soothing, antioxidant support, and sebum-balancing claims in leave-on products. It is not a preservative or structural emulsifier, so it is usually added as a low-level functional active.
Is Oleanolic Acid clean?
From a clean-beauty perspective, it is generally well tolerated and is not a common restricted-list ingredient. Sensitivity is uncommon, though any concentrated botanical-derived active can depend on purity, solvent residues, and the finished formula.
Is Oleanolic Acid sustainable?
This material is typically plant-derived, often recovered from botanical materials such as leaves, peels, or waxy plant fractions. Its sustainability profile is strongest when it comes from by-product streams and uses lower-impact extraction solvents, while heavy solvent purification lowers the score.
Is Oleanolic Acid COSMOS-approved?
It can be permitted in COSMOS-natural and COSMOS-organic products when obtained from approved natural feedstocks and processed with allowed extraction or purification methods. It aligns reasonably well with Green Chemistry when sourced renewably and purified with acceptable solvents, though poor water solubility can require solubilizers or carriers.
How does Oleanolic Acid work chemically?
The molecule is a pentacyclic triterpenoid carboxylic acid, which makes it lipophilic and poorly soluble in water. Typical cosmetic use is low, often around 0.01% to 0.5% depending on the supplier format, and it is usually incorporated through oils, glycols, alcohol, or pre-dispersed active blends.
Last updated 2026-05-13