Database/Buffering/Glycolic Acid
Route-dependent · ISO 16128

Is Glycolic Acid natural?

It depends. Made either from petrochemical chloroacetic acid or formaldehyde, or by fermenting plant sugars, depending on supplier.

INCI nameGlycolic Acid
CAS79-14-1
FormulaC2H4O3 · 76.05 Da
FunctionBuffering
FeedstockMost cosmetic-grade glycolic acid is synthesised from petrochemical…

Why the score varies

This ingredient is made commercially by more than one route, and ISO 16128 scores the feedstock actually used. Without a supplier certificate of origin the value cannot be claimed.

RouteFeedstockNOIShareNotes
Chloroacetic acid hydrolysis or formaldehyde/CO carbonylationpetrochemical chloroacetic acid or formaldehyde0.00~80%
Fermentation of cane or beet sugarfermented plant sugar1.00~20%
Ask your supplier. A batch-specific certificate of origin or bio-based carbon test (ASTM D6866) settles which route applies.

How we scored it

Simple 2-carbon hydroxy acid; petrochemical chloroacetic acid/formaldehyde route = 0/total, sugar-fermentation route = total/total = 1.0; routes not averaged.
What counts. ISO 16128-2 scores the atoms that remain in the final ingredient. Reagents, solvents, catalysts and protecting groups used during manufacture leave no mass behind and are not counted.

How it’s made

Formaldehyde carbonylation (Koch-type, acid). Each curved arrow moves one electron pair, and the film ends on the score above.

Where it comes from

Most cosmetic-grade glycolic acid is synthesised from petrochemical chloroacetic acid or by formaldehyde carbonylation. A smaller, growing supply is produced by fermenting cane or beet sugar for naturals-focused brands.

In plain English

A small acid used here to adjust and buffer a formula's pH. Most commercial supply is synthesised from petrochemical chloroacetic acid or formaldehyde, though some is produced by fermenting plant sugars.

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Structure

2D structure of Glycolic Acid

2-hydroxyacetic acid

PubChem CID 757 ↗

References

  1. 1ISO 16128-1:2016 and ISO 16128-2:2017 — Guidelines on technical definitions and criteria for natural and organic cosmetic ingredients and products. ISO, Geneva.
  2. 2Glycolic Acid. PubChem CID 757. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3GLYCOLIC ACID. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4GLYCOLIC ACID. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=GLYCOLIC%20ACID