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INCI ingredient

Lecithin

A natural emulsifier from soy, sunflower or egg yolk.

What it triggers

  • Vegan originNot sureplant or animal source
  • FragranceNonot a perfume ingredient
  • ParabenNonot a preservative of this family
  • SulfateNonot a sulfate surfactant
  • SiliconeNonot a silicone
  • AlcoholNonot a drying alcohol

What it does

Lecithin is a mix of phospholipids, the same molecules that make up cell membranes. It helps oil and water stay mixed, softens skin and is the base of liposome delivery systems. CosIng lists it as emulsifying, emollient and antistatic.

Cosmetic lecithin is mostly from soy or sunflower, but egg lecithin exists and the label does not say which, so on its own it leaves the vegan answer at not sure.

Functions: emulsifying, emollient

Products with Lecithin

in 410 products

Showing 24 of 410 products with this ingredient, most scanned first.

In the EU ingredient database

Functions listed by CosIng
  • antistatic
  • skin conditioning - emollient
  • surfactant - emulsifying
  • skin conditioning
  • antistatic: Preventing and/or reducing static electricity by neutralising electrical charge on surfaces.
  • skin conditioning - emollient: Acting as lubricants on the skin surface providing the skin with a soft and smooth appearance.
  • surfactant - emulsifying: Helping suspensions or dispersions of liquids in a second liquid by reducing the surface tension of the substances to be emulsified.
  • skin conditioning: Maintaining the skin in good condition.

CAS 8002-43-5 / 8030-76-0 (soybean) · EC 232-307-2 / 310-129-7

EU regulation

Not on a restricted-substances annex. Listed as an allowed cosmetic ingredient.

Source: CosIng, European Commission. Informative, no legal value; the regulation text is the reference.

Classification from the INCI name; product lists from Open Beauty Facts.Report a mistake