Product Focus: Multifunctional Glycolic Acid in Cosmetic Formulations

Outline

What Is Glycolic Acid?

Glycolic acid, also known as fruit acid, is a basic alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) that is widely used in cosmetics, textiles, detergents and material packaging. Especially in the field of cosmetics, thanks to its unique chemical structure and small molecular size, glycolic acid can penetrate deep into the skin, making it an effective ingredient for solving various skin care problems.

Basic Properties

• Chemical formula: C₂H₄O₃
• Molecular weight: 76.05 g/mol
• Melting point: 75-80℃
• Boiling point: 113℃
• Solubility: Soluble in water, methanol, ethanol, acetone, acetic acid and ether, but almost insoluble in carbon oxide solvents.

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Benefits of Glycolic Acid for Skincare

Glycolic acid works by gently exfoliating the skin's surface. It breaks down the bonds between dead skin cells, promoting their removal and revealing a smoother, more radiant complexion. This exfoliation process also stimulates the production of collagen, a protein essential for skin firmness and elasticity.

• Exfoliation: Glycolic acid's exfoliating properties help to unclog pores, reduce the appearance of acne, and improve skin texture.
• Anti-Aging: By boosting collagen production, glycolic acid can help to minimize fine lines, wrinkles, and age spots.
• Skin Brightening: It can help to fade hyperpigmentation and uneven skin tone.
• Hydration: Glycolic acid can improve the skin's ability to retain moisture, leaving it hydrated and supple.

Glycolic Acid vs. Salicylic Acid: Key Differences

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Ingredients to Avoid When Using Glycolic Acid

While glycolic acid is generally well-tolerated, it's crucial to avoid combining it with certain ingredients that could irritate the skin or diminish its effectiveness:

• Other AHAs and BHAs: Overusing AHAs and BHAs, including salicylic acid, and lactic acid, can lead to excessive exfoliation, irritation, and sensitivity.
• Vitamin C: While both ingredients offer antioxidant benefits, combining them can increase the risk of skin irritation, especially for sensitive skin types.
• Retinol: Both glycolic acid and retinol are potent exfoliants. Use them both and you can get extremely dry, red and peely.

You may be interested in:

• A Comprehensive Guide to Selecting Common Facial Acids
• Selection Guide for Retinol and Retinol Derivatives

News: New Method for Efficient Biosynthesis of Glycolic Acid

Traditional industrial glycolic acid production — hydrolysis of chloroacetic acid or hydrolysis and hydrogenation of dimethyl oxalate — yields, but is energy intensive, pollution heavy and resource-intensive. Microbial fermentation of glycolic acid, by contrast, is relatively more sustainable. Recently, Qingqing Bao et al. published a novel approach to making glycolic acid more efficient to biosynthesis. They successfully screened and optimized a high-yield red yeast strain RMGly-20 for glycolic acid using ethylene glycol as a substrate. The strain is not only genetically stable, but can also use cheap glucose as a carbon source. In a 5 L fermenter, the yield of glycolic acid can reach 61.1 g/L through fed-batch culture. [1]

Fig 1. Glycolic acid synthesis pathway and high-yield strain of glycolic acid.

Reference

1. Bao, Qingqing, et al. Chinese journal of biotechnology, 2024, 40(8), 2418-2431.

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Product Focus: Multifunctional Glycolic Acid in Cosmetic Formulations

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