Ursolic Acid ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is used as a skin-conditioning and antioxidant active, most often in firming, soothing, and scalp-care formulas. Its role is functional rather than structural, so it is usually present at low levels within an emulsion or serum base.
What does Ursolic Acid do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is used as a skin-conditioning and antioxidant active, most often in firming, soothing, and scalp-care formulas. Its role is functional rather than structural, so it is usually present at low levels within an emulsion or serum base.
Is Ursolic Acid clean?
From a clean-beauty perspective, it is generally low-friction, with no major restricted-list profile and limited allergen concern. Because it is a concentrated bioactive, brands usually keep levels modest and formulate for skin compatibility.
Is Ursolic Acid sustainable?
This material is typically obtained from plant sources such as fruit peels, leaf waxes, or herb extracts, with sustainability depending on the crop stream and extraction solvent. It is a naturally occurring, lipophilic compound and is expected to have better environmental alignment than persistent synthetic film-formers, though public biodegradation data are not as extensive as for simpler plant oils or sugars.
Is Ursolic Acid COSMOS-approved?
It can align with COSMOS-natural and COSMOS-organic when sourced from natural raw materials and processed with permitted extraction or purification methods. Its Green Chemistry fit is strongest when recovered from botanical byproducts or renewable plant feedstocks using lower-impact solvents.
How does Ursolic Acid work chemically?
The molecule is a lipophilic pentacyclic triterpenoid with a hydroxyl group and a carboxylic acid group, which gives it poor water solubility and better compatibility with oils, alcohols, glycols, or solubilized delivery systems. Typical cosmetic use is often in the low active range, around 0.05% to 0.5%, and formulators account for crystallization risk, dispersion quality, and compatibility within emulsions or anhydrous bases.
Last updated 2026-05-13