Potassium Lactate is the potassium salt of lactic acid and is widely used as a multifunctional cosmetic ingredient in personal care and skin-care formulations. It is identified by the INCI name POTASSIUM LACTATE and is primarily valued for its humectant, buffering and skin-conditioning properties.
Potassium Lactate is commonly supplied as an aqueous solution rather than as a dry crystalline material. Commercial cosmetic and industrial grades are frequently available around 60% active concentration. COSMOS-listed raw materials also include 60% Potassium Lactate solutions, demonstrating its use in raw materials intended for certified cosmetic formulations.
As a moisture-management ingredient, Potassium Lactate can help formulations retain water and support a moisturized skin feel. Its buffering capability also makes it useful when formulation pH needs to be maintained within a controlled range.
Potassium Lactate is also known as Potassium 2-hydroxypropanoate or 2-Hydroxypropanoic Acid, Monopotassium Salt. Its CAS Number is 996-31-6, with anhydrous molecular formula C₃H₅KO₃ and molecular weight 128.17 g/mol.
The commercial form is particularly important when specifying this cosmetic ingredient. Potassium Lactate Solution is described as a clear, colorless or practically colorless viscous liquid that is miscible with water.
A 60% Potassium L-Lactate solution is also commercially available, with reported pH of 6.5–8.5 and density around 1.333 g/cm³ for that specific grade. These values are grade- and stereochemistry-dependent and should not automatically be applied to every Potassium Lactate product.
Potassium Lactate functions primarily as a humectant, buffering ingredient and skin-conditioning ingredient. Its humectant function supports moisture retention in cosmetic formulations, making it relevant to products designed for hydration and skin comfort.
As a buffering ingredient, Potassium Lactate can participate in maintaining formulation pH and can be useful in systems containing lactic acid or lactate salts. The combination of moisture management and buffering functionality makes it suitable for different personal-care formulation approaches.
It can also contribute to the sensory and functional properties of moisturising formulations without being positioned as a conventional oil-based emollient.
Potassium Lactate is used as a cosmetic ingredient in formulation systems where moisture retention and pH control are important. Potential applications include moisturising creams, lotions, facial-care products, body-care formulations, cleansers, serums and other water-based personal-care products.
Because it is water-miscible in its common solution form, Potassium Lactate can be incorporated into aqueous formulation phases with appropriate process control.
For manufacturers developing formulations with natural-oriented raw-material requirements, specific Potassium Lactate grades may also be available through raw-material systems approved under standards such as COSMOS. However, approval applies to the specific commercial raw material and manufacturer rather than automatically to every Potassium Lactate grade.
The concentration of Potassium Lactate should always be evaluated according to the commercial grade being used. A 60% solution contains a substantial water fraction, while more concentrated or diluted grades will have different active-content and physical-property specifications.
Regulatory and food-ingredient specifications can provide useful technical references. For example, the European specification for E326 describes Potassium Lactate as a 60% aqueous solution and specifies an assay range of 57–66%. It also gives limits including arsenic NMT 3 mg/kg, lead NMT 2 mg/kg and mercury NMT 1 mg/kg.
For cosmetic manufacturing, the actual Certificate of Analysis and specification of the selected raw material should therefore be used for assay, pH, water content, impurities and trace-element requirements.
Potassium Lactate is a useful multifunctional cosmetic ingredient for manufacturers developing moisturising, hydrating and pH-controlled personal-care formulations. A reliable bulk supply program should distinguish between anhydrous chemical identity and commercial aqueous solution grades.
For B2B cosmetic raw-material sourcing, specifications should clearly identify active concentration, physical form, pH, appearance, water content and applicable analytical methods. This helps formulators select the appropriate Potassium Lactate grade for creams, lotions, cleansers, serums and other personal-care applications.
As a Potassium Lactate Cosmetic Ingredient Manufacturer in India, the focus should be on consistent raw-material quality, controlled specifications and suitability for bulk cosmetic formulation requirements.
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Appearance | White or colourless crystals / white powder |