No sales for Black Friday at Typology
Complimentary gift with every purchase over £75
Get your personalized back-to-school diagnosis in under 4 minutes
Library
All Topics
White wavy lines texture on a surfaceLactic Acid

Lactic Acid

Commonly known as: Lactic acid, 2-hydroxypropanoic acid.
I.N.C.I. list name: Lactic acid.
Extraction process: Fermentation of the sugar present in corn seeds using specific bacteria such as Lactobacillus.
Source: Vegetable.
Botanical name: Zea mays (corn).
Family: Poaceae.
Part of the plant extracted: Seeds.
Provenance, origin: France.
Chemical characteristics: Alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA); soluble in water, glycerin and alcohol ; insoluble in oil ; density = 1,1 - 1,25 g/cm³; molar mass = 90,08 g/mol; pH higher than 3,5.
Characteristics: Emulsion, colloidal solution, true aqueous solution.
Dosage required in cosmetic products: minimum 0.3%; as an exfoliant, lactic acid is allowed at a maximum concentration of 10% in a cosmetic product.
Function: PH adjuster (acidifier), humectant, skin care agent.
Properties: Keratolytic, astringent, moisturizing, sebum-regulating, acidifying.
Benefits: All skin types especially mature skin, dry skin, mixed to oily skin, irregular skin texture (blackheads, dilated pores, brown spots, etc.) and dull skin; all hair types especially scalps with dandruff, oily scalps and dull hair.

Details

Use

  • Facial care (exfoliating products, peelings, purifying creams and lotions, cleansing gels, masks, eye contour creams, scrubs);

  • Body care (body milks, foot and hand masks);

  • Hair care (anti-dandruff shampoos, purifying hair masks, detanglers);

  • Hygiene (shower gels)

Preservation

Store at room temperature away from light, moisture and heat.

Contra-Indications and Precautions

With a use once or twice a week, it generally presents no danger. However, it may cause allergic reactions or irritation. Avoid contact with eyes, in case of contact rinse thoroughly with water.

Lactic acid is photosensitizing, which means that it increases the skin's sensitivity to sunlight. After using lactic acid and for a week afterwards, you should not go out in the sun unless you use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a high sun protection factor, wear protective clothing and limit your exposure to the sun as much as possible. Preferably, apply a lactic acid treatment in the evening before bedtime.

Do not combine this active ingredient with a product containing salicylic acid or glycolic acid.

Find out more

Lactic acid is known for its exfoliating effect on the surface layers of the skin. This AHA allows the elimination of the dead cells of the epidermis in order to make the skin of the face smoother, bright and uniform. This molecule, which is larger than the glycolic acid molecule, penetrates less deeply into the epidermis and is therefore less irritating than the latter. Lactic acid is thus an excellent alternative for skin that has not tolerated glycolic acid products.