LACTIC ACID

Name / description

Lactic Acid; 2-Hydroxypropanoic Acid

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Function(s) of this ingredient in cosmetic products

BUFFERING

Controls the pH of cosmetic products

FRAGRANCE FUNCTIONAL

Functional ingredient (excipient) of perfume oils and / or flavours

HUMECTANT

Holds and retains moisture in cosmetic products

SKIN CONDITIONING

Maintains the skin in good condition

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Origin

plant/biotechnology synthetic

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Occurrence in cosmetics

Liquid soaps, skin creams, facial toners, haircare products, facial peelings

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Occurrence in other products

Cleaning products, dishwashing product

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Background information on use in cosmetics

Lactic acid is in chemical terms a hydroxy carbonic acid; an alkane acid which has both a carboxy group and a hydroxy group. Lactic acid is a colourless to slightly yellowish syrup-like liquid which can be easily mixed with alcohol and water. It is an endogenous substance which occurs as L-(+) lactic acid in sweat, blood, muscle serum, kidney, bile and in saliva. It is an alpha-hydroxy acid which has hygroscopic properties. The salts and esters of the lactic acid are referred to as lactates. In the form of lactate, lactic acid is an important intermediate product in the metabolism, for instance, as a product of the degradation of sugars by lactic acid fermentation. Lactic acid occurs, amongst others, in the so-called hydrolipidic film – the acid protection mantle of the skin. It contributes towards keeping the pH value of the skin in balance. Apart from other substances like proteins, sugar and urea, lactic acid ensures, on the basis of its hygroscopic properties, a good moisture penetration of the skin. In skincare products such as skin creams lactic acid (INCI: LACTIC ACID; salts: LACTATE) are frequently used for the care of dry skin areas. In combination with other substances, lactic acid also regulates the pH value of the caring product. In this way it is ensured that the protective acid mantle of the skin is not impaired at an application of the product. Because of its keratolytic properties (resolving the keratinisation), lactic acid is, moreover, used in care products for the skin and stratum corneum refinement. In liquid soaps lactic acid is likewise used, since it has an antibacterial effect. Fragrances or mixtures of fragrances are often referred to in the cosmetics area as "perfuming agents" or "perfume oils" or "parfum oils". On the cosmetic products they are declared with the INCI name "PARFUM". These are undiluted individual substances or their mixtures which originate from natural raw materials or can be produced (semi-) synthetically. They are starting materials for the production of perfume, eau de parfum, eau de toilette, eau de cologne and other perfumed cosmetic products. The average content of fragrances amounts in perfume to 15-30 %, in eau de parfum to 10-14 %, in eau de toilette to 6-9 %, in eau de cologne to 3-5 % as well as in skin creams, shampoos, hair and deodorant sprays to approximately 0.2-1 % and approximately 1-3 in deodorant sticks. The perfume oils include essential oils, resinoids and absolutes. The sources are, amongst others, flowers, leaves and stems, fruits and fruit peels or roots of plants; woods, grasses or herbs, needles, resins and balsams. Moreover, only compounds isolated from natural products such as aldehydes, ketones, esters, alcohols etc. are used (geraniol, citronellal, citral, eugenol, menthol) as well as semi-synthetic (citronellol, geranyl acetate, jonone) and synthetic scents (eg phenylethyl alcohol and linalool) are used. Scents of animal origin such as musk and ambra are only rarely used.

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Belongs to the following substance groups

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Regulating cosmetics

Cosmetics Ingredients are subject to regulation. Please note, different regulations may apply to cosmetic ingredients outside the EU.