Ingredient Spotlight: Potassium Sorbate

Jan 17, 2024

We share a lot of information about our botanicals and key ingredients with you to showcase their properties and the reasons why we use them. There are of course other ingredients that are in our products that might not get the main spotlight, yet are just as important. 

One such ingredient is Potassium Sorbate. It was first discovered by the French in the 1850's, having been derived from the Mountain Ash Tree. It is widely used in the food industry and few substances have had the kind of extensive, rigorous, long-term testing that Sorbic Acid and its salts have had.  It has been found to be non-toxic even when taken in large quantities, and breaks down in the body into water and Carbon Dioxide in the Krebs Cycle. Many food producers use Potassium Sorbate as a natural preservative to provide freshest, taste, and safety to their products; naturally inhibit microbes, particularly mold. It is used in natural sunscreens for similar reasons.

Most potassium sorbate offered today is made in China and is synthetically produced. Our potassium sorbate is plant sourced, non-synthetic, lead-free, USA made, Certified Kosher & Vegan. Potassium Sorbate is a Potassium salt version of Sorbic Acid, a polyunsaturated fat used to inhibit mold growth. 

The FDA regards Potassium sorbate as GRAS (generally regarded as safe). Potassium Sorbate is water soluble and can be used effectively in both lotions and water-based liquid soap and shampoo formulations. Although the minimum inhibitory concentration for many fungi and bacteria is approx. 100 ppm, common usage levels range from 0.5 - 1.0%.

This helps keep our long lasting products safe and usable for you, our customers. You can wash, nourish, and style knowing that what you're putting on your hair and skin is safe. 

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