Potassium Undecylenate
What Is It?
Potassium Undecylenate, Sodium Undecylenate, MEA-Undecylenate and TEA-Undecylenate are salts of Undecylenic Acid. In cosmetics and personal care products, these ingredients are used in the formulation of cleansing products.
Why Is It Used?
Potassium Undecylenate, Sodium Undecylenate, MEA-Undecylenate and TEA-Undecylenate prevent or retard bacterial growth, and thus protect cosmetics and personal care products from spoilage. They also clean skin and hair by helping water to mix with oil and dirt so that they can be rinsed away. They help to form emulsions by reducing the surface tension of the substances to be emulsified.
Follow this link for more information about how preservatives protect cosmetics and personal care products.
Scientific Facts
Potassium Undecylenate, Sodium Undecylenate, MEA-Undecylenate and TEA-Undecylenate are salts of Undecenoic Acid, which is derived from castor oil.
Safety Information
The European Commission has evaluated the safety of Undecylenic acid and its salts permits their use as preservatives in cosmetics and personal care products at a maximum concentration of 0.2%. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the use of the related ingredients Undecylenic Acid, Calcium Undecylenate and Zinc Undecylenate for use in Over-the-Counter antifungal drug products. Please search this website for Undecylenic Acid, Calcium Undecylenate and Zinc Undecylenate for more information on these ingredients.
Undecylenic Acid and its salts including Potassium Undecylenate, Sodium Undecylenate, MEA-Undecylenate and TEA-Undecylenate are listed as Undec-10-enoic acid and salts in the Cosmetics Directive of the European Union and may be used as preservatives in cosmetics and personal care products at a maximum concentration of 0.2% as the acid (see Annex VI).
Link to the EU Cosmetic Regulation:
http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/consumers/product_labelling_and_p…
More Scientific Information
In cosmetics and personal care products, Potassium Undecylenate, Sodium Undecylenate, MEA-Undecylenate and TEA-Undecylenate function as preservatives and surfactantAn ingredient that helps two substances that normally do not mix to become dissolved or dispersed in one another. Also called a surface active agent. – cleansing and emulsifying agents.
Resources
Search the Code of Federal Regulations http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/cfrsearch.cfm
EU Cosmetics Inventory http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/cosmetics/cosing/