Potassium Sorbatem ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is a preservative used mainly to control yeast and mold in water-containing formulas. It is usually paired with other preservative system components because its antibacterial coverage is limited.
What does Potassium Sorbatem do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is a preservative used mainly to control yeast and mold in water-containing formulas. It is usually paired with other preservative system components because its antibacterial coverage is limited.
Is Potassium Sorbatem clean?
From a clean-beauty perspective, this ingredient is broadly accepted and commonly used in low-dose preservation systems. It is generally well tolerated, though it can sting in very acidic formulas and rare sensitivity is reported.
Is Potassium Sorbatem sustainable?
This material is water soluble and readily biodegradable, with low environmental persistence expected at cosmetic use levels. It is typically made by synthetic chemical processing rather than direct plant extraction, so its sustainability profile is strongest on biodegradability, not renewable sourcing.
Is Potassium Sorbatem COSMOS-approved?
It is permitted under COSMOS natural and organic standards as an approved preservative, with use-level and formulation conditions. Its Green Chemistry fit is reasonable because it works at low concentrations and biodegrades readily, although the feedstock route is usually synthetic.
How does Potassium Sorbatem work chemically?
The molecule is a potassium salt of an unsaturated six-carbon carboxylate, and preservation performance depends on conversion to the active acid form in acidic systems. Typical use is about 0.05% to 0.3%, with best performance below about pH 6 and strongest mold and yeast control around pH 4 to 5.5.
Last updated 2026-08-20