How we scored it
Lactic acid (fermentation product) neutralised with potassium (natural mineral counter-ion). 1.0.
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.
Where it comes from
Made by fermenting plant sugars to lactic acid, then neutralising with potassium hydroxide or carbonate. Both the organic acid and the mineral cation are natural-origin.
In plain English
A humectant and buffering ingredient that helps skin retain moisture and keeps formula pH stable. It is the potassium salt of lactic acid, made by fermenting plant sugars.
Structure
potassium 2-hydroxypropanoate
References
- 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.
- 2Potassium Lactate. PubChem CID 23671663. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
- 3POTASSIUM LACTATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
- 4POTASSIUM LACTATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=POTASSIUM%20LACTATE