INCI name

ARACHIDIC ACID

Arachidic acid

Cleansing Surfactant – emulsifying Opacifying Surfactant – cleansingreviewed

A long-chain saturated fatty acid.

What it is

Arachidic acid (icosanoic acid) is a saturated fatty acid with 20 carbon atoms, found in small amounts in some vegetable oils such as peanut oil. CosIng lists it as cleansing, emulsifying and opacifying.

Where it is used

Found in creams, cleansers and soaps, often as part of fatty acid mixtures.

Limits of interpretation

The INCI list shows which ingredients are present, not how much of each. Above 1%, ingredients are listed in descending order of weight; below 1% the order is free.

The INCI name does not reveal whether it comes from plant oils or another source.

Functions

Cleansing: Helping to keep the body surface clean.
Surfactant – emulsifying: Helping suspensions or dispersions of liquids in a second liquid by reducing the surface tension of the substances to be emulsified.
Opacifying: Reducing transparency or translucency of cosmetics.
Surfactant – cleansing: Wetting body surfaces, emulsifying or solubilizing oils, and suspending soil (generally, such ingredients contribute to the foaming and lathering properties of cleansing products).

EU regulation

This ingredient is not listed in the annexes of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 in the CosIng data.

Products with this ingredient (110)

Check a full ingredient list