Cottonseed Acid

AKA: Cottonseed fatty acid

Plant-Derived

Emollient

Cleanser

Skin Conditioner

Acid

Not Clean

Fatty acids, cottonseed-oil

Family

Malvaceae (Mallow family)

Plant Part

Seed

CAS #

68308-51-0

Form

Liquid

Functions

Cleansing

Makes oil and water mix so dirt, makeup, and sunscreen can actually be washed away. The reason your face wash foams.

Emollient

Fills in the tiny cracks between skin cells to make everything feel smooth and soft. The "silky finish" ingredient.

Cleansing

Makes oil and water mix so dirt, makeup, and sunscreen can actually be washed away. The reason your face wash foams.

Locks In Moisture

Traditional Use

Derived from cottonseed oil processing in the early-to-mid 20th century, used as an emulsifying and conditioning agent in cosmetic formulations.

EWG

CIR

Safe as used

Pregnancy

Yes

CIR Safety Findings

Not a Sensitizer

medical-approval

all-shades-safe

Regulatory Status

USA✔ permitted

EU⚠ restricted

JAPAN⚠ restricted

CANADA⚠ restricted

Regulatory Agencies

Skin Types

●all-skin-types

Best For

Dryness

Pregnancy & Breastfeeding Safe

Yes

The paper trail

🔬Peer-reviewednone on file

⚖️Regulatory1 listing →

🛡️Safety-assessed3 reviews →

Counts, not a verdict. A listing isn't a study. The trail, you decide.

Verified Jun 2026

Data: CosIng · EWG · CIR