Ascorbic acid is a naturally occurring, water-soluble vitamin. The formation of collagen in fibrous tissue, teeth, bones, connective tissue, skin, and capillaries depends on ascorbic acid, a potent reducing and antioxidant agent that also helps fight bacterial infections. It acts as an antioxidant, skin brightening, and buffering agent in cosmetics and personal care products.
What is ASCORBIC ACID used for?
Ascorbic acid is needed for the synthesis of neurotransmitters, collagen production, and tissue repair.
In order to slow the deterioration brought on by exposure to the air and to regulate the pH of the finished product, ascorbic acid and its salts are used in the formulation of cosmetics and personal care products. Additionally, it serves as a skin protector, preservative, and UV (ultraviolet) filter.
It is used at a concentration of 0.001–0.05% in hair conditioners, 0.0001–0.01% in non-coloring shampoos, and 0.001–0.05% in moisturizers.
Origin
Sorbitol is used as the starting material in both the Reichstein method and contemporary two-step fermentation methods in order to produce sorbose through fermentation. In order to avoid using an additional intermediate, the modern two-step fermentation process converts sorbose to 2-keto-l-gluonic acid (KGA) through a subsequent fermentation step. About 60% of the vitamin C from the glucose feed is produced by both processes.
Safety profile
Ascorbic Acid is listed on the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) list of preservatives that are generally recognized as safe (GRAS). The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel has evaluated the safety of ascorbic acid and came to the conclusion that Ascorbic Acid and its salts were safe to use in cosmetic and personal care products. The CIR Expert Panel found that ascorbic acid was not genotoxic when acting as an antioxidant.