Potassium Sorbate . Water/Aqua/Eau ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is a preservative that helps control yeast, mold, and some bacteria in water-based personal care formulas. It is most effective in acidic products.
What does Potassium Sorbate . Water/Aqua/Eau do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is a preservative that helps control yeast, mold, and some bacteria in water-based personal care formulas. It is most effective in acidic products.
Is Potassium Sorbate . Water/Aqua/Eau clean?
It is widely accepted in clean-beauty frameworks and is generally well tolerated at typical cosmetic levels. Sensitivity is uncommon, though stinging or irritation can occur in very acidic formulas or on compromised skin.
Is Potassium Sorbate . Water/Aqua/Eau sustainable?
This material is typically made synthetically from simple chemical feedstocks rather than harvested directly from plants. It is readily biodegradable and is not known for environmental persistence or bioaccumulation.
Is Potassium Sorbate . Water/Aqua/Eau COSMOS-approved?
It is permitted in COSMOS-certified natural and organic products as an approved preservative, within the standard’s conditions. From a Green Chemistry view, its strengths are effective low-dose preservation and biodegradability, while its weaker point is usually non-renewable feedstock origin.
How does Potassium Sorbate . Water/Aqua/Eau work chemically?
The molecule is a potassium salt of a short-chain unsaturated carboxylic acid that becomes more active as the formula pH shifts toward the acidic range, especially below about pH 5.5. Typical use levels are about 0.1% to 0.3%, often paired with other preservation supports because performance drops as pH rises.
Last updated 2026-05-13