Lecithin

Lecithin is a cosmetic ingredient used as an antistatic, skin conditioning - emollient agent. It appears in about 3% of cosmetic products in our 90,000+ product dataset. It is regulated in the EU (listed in a Cosmetics Regulation annex). PubMed carries 723 studies of its skin or topical use.

INCI nameLECITHIN
FunctionANTISTATIC, SKIN CONDITIONING - EMOLLIENT, SURFACTANT - EMULSIFYING, SKIN CONDITIONING
CAS number8002-43-5 / 8030-76-0 (soybean)
EC number232-307-2 / 310-129-7
Prevalence2,624 products (2.83% of dataset)
Most used inSkincare
EU statusRestricted (annex )
Scientific studies723 on PubMed (skin/cosmetic/topical)
Monthly searches33,100

Used in

Serums 19.1%General Moisturizers 12.1%Sunscreens 8%Eye Moisturizers 4.6%Face Cleansers 4.2%Facial Treatments 3.4%

Frequently asked

What does Lecithin do in skincare?
Lecithin functions as an antistatic, skin conditioning - emollient agent in cosmetic formulas.
Is Lecithin allowed in cosmetics?
Yes, but it is regulated in the EU — it appears in a Cosmetics Regulation annex with usage conditions.
What products contain Lecithin?
It is most commonly found in Skincare products, especially serums (19.1% of its uses).

Manufacturers with experience using Lecithin

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