Potassium Sorbate ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is a preservative used mainly to control yeast and mold in water-based formulas. It is often paired with other preservation systems when broader bacterial coverage is needed.
What does Potassium Sorbate do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is a preservative used mainly to control yeast and mold in water-based formulas. It is often paired with other preservation systems when broader bacterial coverage is needed.
Is Potassium Sorbate clean?
Clean-beauty frameworks generally treat this ingredient as acceptable and well established. It has low sensitization potential, though it can cause mild stinging in some acidic formulas or on compromised skin.
Is Potassium Sorbate sustainable?
This material is commonly made through chemical synthesis from nonrenewable feedstocks, then converted into a water-soluble salt. It is readily biodegradable and is not known for high environmental persistence.
Is Potassium Sorbate COSMOS-approved?
It is permitted under COSMOS natural and organic standards as an allowed preservative when used within the standard’s conditions. Its Green Chemistry profile is mixed but favorable overall, with good biodegradability and low use levels, offset by largely synthetic, nonrenewable sourcing.
How does Potassium Sorbate work chemically?
The molecule is an ionic salt of an unsaturated carboxylic acid, and its preservation performance is strongest in acidic systems where the active acid form is present. Typical use levels are about 0.1% to 0.3%, with best performance below roughly pH 5.5 and reduced efficacy as pH rises.
Last updated 2026-05-13