Phosphoric Acid
A mineral acid used in tiny amounts to lower pH.
What it triggers
- Vegan originYesno 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
Phosphoric acid is a strong acid added drop by drop to bring a formula's pH down, most often in toothpaste, mouthwash and hair products. The amount left in the product is very small and it is neutralised in the finished formula.
CosIng lists it as buffering. It is mineral-derived and affects none of the six checks.
Functions: buffering
Products with Phosphoric Acid
in 240 products
- no photoMineVital Breathable Nail Polish - ShakeMineVital · nail products
L'Oréal Casting Creme Gloss 513 Lys BeigbrunL'Oréal · hair dye- no photoMineVital Breathable Nail Polish - LatteMineVital · nail products
Colgate TotalColgate
L'Oréal Excellence 4 BrunL'Oréal · hair dye
Solido Cosmetics Permanent Hair Color Milk Chocolate (24)Solido Cosmetics · hair dye- no photoSally Hansen Insta-dri Expresso Nail PolishSally Hansen · nail products
Felce Azzurra Benessere Doccia con olio di karitèFelce Azzurra · body and face oil- no photoColgate Total 12 whole mouth healthColgate · toothpaste
Colgate Palmolive Norge As Colgate Tannkrem Active FreshColgate Palmolive Norge As · toothpaste- no photoOral-B 3D White Toothpaste Intensive Whitening Diamond CleanOral-B · toothpaste
- no photoConaxess Trade Norge As Brillance Hårfarge 883 BlackbrownConaxess Trade Norge As · hair dye
Semilac Nail conditionerSemilac · hair conditioner
Issue Activador en CremaIssue · hair dye- no photoMineVital Breathable Nail Polish - AppleMineVital · nail products
- no photoColgate Max White Purple RevealColgate · toothpaste
L'Oréal Preferance 5 BruggeL'Oréal- no photoMineVital Breathable Nail Polish - Blue EyesMineVital · nail products
L'Oréal Casting Creme Gloss 510 Cool MochaL'Oréal · hair dye
Conaxess Trade Norge As Live Urban Metallics U67 Blue MercuryConaxess Trade Norge As
L'Oréal Excellence 8 LysblondL'Oréal · hair dye
L'Oréal Nutrisse 9 Meget LysblondL'Oréal- no photoWella Koleston Intense Saç Boyası 7/17 Buzlu ÇikolataWella · hair dye
- no photoMineVital Breathable Nail Polish - CaramelMineVital · nail products
Showing 24 of 240 products with this ingredient, most scanned first.
In the EU ingredient database
Functions listed by CosIng
- buffering
- buffering: Stabilising the pH of an aqueous medium in a narrow range even if an acid or base is added. Altering and/or maintaining a cosmetic product's pH at the desired level.
CAS 7664-38-2 · EC 231-633-2
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