Citric Acid
The pH balancer.
What it does
Adjusts how acidic the product is, so it feels right on skin and keeps working as it should.
Good to know
It also grabs minerals from water so they don't spoil the formula. It's the same acid found naturally in lemons and limes.
Often found in: Shampoos, Shower gels, Soaps
Around the world
- United States: No FDA limit. The FDA advises a sunburn alert on skin products with AHAs like this one. Source
- EU and UK: No special limit in the EU or UK. Source
- Canada: On the Hotlist as an AHA. Skin products with 3% to 18% need a pH of 3.5 or higher and sun and eye warnings. Source
- Australia: No limit in Australia's Poisons Standard. Source
Sources
- Applications of hydroxy acids: classification, mechanisms, and photoactivity (FDA scientists, 2010) (Independent)
- CIR: Safety Assessment of Citric Acid, Inorganic Citrate Salts, and Alkyl Citrate Esters (2014) (Industry-funded)
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