Citric Acid

Citric Acid is a cosmetic ingredient used as a buffering, chelating agent. It appears in about 15% of cosmetic products in our 90,000+ product dataset. It carries no restriction under the EU Cosmetics Regulation annexes. PubMed carries 1,381 studies of its skin or topical use.

INCI nameCITRIC ACID
FunctionBUFFERING, CHELATING, FRAGRANCE
CAS number77-92-9 / 5949-29-1
EC number201-069-1
Prevalence13,509 products (14.55% of dataset)
Most used inSkincare
EU statusNo annex restriction
Scientific studies1,381 on PubMed (skin/cosmetic/topical)
Monthly searches90,500

Used in

Face Cleansers 14.6%Shampoos 12.4%Serums 10.9%Toners 7.3%Body Washes 7.2%Conditioners 4.9%

Frequently asked

What does Citric Acid do in skincare?
Citric Acid functions as a buffering, chelating agent in cosmetic formulas.
What products contain Citric Acid?
It is most commonly found in Skincare products, especially face cleansers (14.6% of its uses).

Manufacturers with experience using Citric Acid

Match with vetted US contract manufacturers that have hands-on experience formulating with this ingredient.