Maleic Acid

Maleic Acid is a cosmetic ingredient used as a buffering agent. It is used in 58 products in our dataset. It carries no restriction under the EU Cosmetics Regulation annexes. PubMed carries 128 studies of its skin or topical use.

INCI nameMALEIC ACID
FunctionBUFFERING
CAS number110-16-7
EC number203-742-5
Prevalence58 products (0.06% of dataset)
Most used inHaircare
EU statusNo annex restriction
Scientific studies128 on PubMed (skin/cosmetic/topical)
Monthly searches1,900

Used in

Shampoos 25.9%Hair Masks 24.1%Conditioners 13.8%Face Cleansers 6.9%Leave-in Treatments 5.2%Body Washes 3.4%

Frequently asked

What does Maleic Acid do in skincare?
Maleic Acid functions as a buffering agent in cosmetic formulas.
What products contain Maleic Acid?
It is most commonly found in Haircare products, especially shampoos (25.9% of its uses).

Manufacturers with experience using Maleic Acid

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