Ingredient glossary / Exfoliant
Lactobionic acid (PHA)
On the label: Lactobionic Acid · Exfoliant
What it is
A polyhydroxy acid from milk sugar; mild exfoliant and humectant.
Exfoliants: Exfoliants remove dead cells from the surface, by chemistry (acids, enzymes) or by rubbing (physical scrubs).
Wikidata: Chemical compound. Q6138969 →
In the research
38 PubMed papers mention it with skin, cosmetics or hair; the three most recent:
- From acidification to multi-targeted cellular modulation: dual impact of hydroxy acids on the skin microbiota and the epidermal barrier · Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology, 2026
- Enzymatic oxidation of lactose for lactobionic acid production: Effect of reaction conditions and dairy side stream compositions · Journal of dairy science, 2026
- Enzyme Co-Immobilization on Precipitated Silica for Sustainable Lactobionic Acid Production · Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), 2026
A paper is a paper, not a verdict: titles are listed so you can read them, and a study on cells or mice says little about a cream on a face.
Other exfoliants
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