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However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.

Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.

In skincare formulas, citric acid can:

While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.

Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.

Rosacea skin has a lower threshold for acids generally, with 62.5% of rosacea subjects in one study reacting to lactic acid in a sting test. This is why we mark citric acid as a potential rosacea trigger.

However, this ingredient shows up as a pH adjuster or chelator at roughly 0.1-1% in many products. These low levels are unlikely to be an issue for rosacea skin and becomes a potential trigger at exfoliating concentrations (20%). Because everybody's skin is unique, we recommend a patch test if you are unsure.

Your skin makes its own natural anti-inflammatory hormone called cortisol and it also has an enzyme that switches cortisol off. Glycyrrhetinic Acid slows down that enzyme so your skin's natural calming power sticks around a little longer.

The research is pretty encouraging, especially for calming redness:

This is a good ingredient to look out for if your skin gets red, itchy, or irritated easily. It's also nice for anyone recovering from a harsh treatment or whose skin barrier is feeling a bit stressed.

It's typically found up to 2% because a little goes a long way.

Safety experts at the Cosmetic Ingredient Review found it safe as used in cosmetics. Even at 6%, three times the typical amount, it didn't cause irritation or allergic reactions in clinical testing.

Allergies to it are very rare with only a handful of reported cases over the years. But as with any new product, it's a good idea to patch test if you have reactive skin.

Fun fact: Glycyrrhetinic Acid is also used as a flavoring agent. Its sweet licorice roots mean it's sometimes used to help mask bitter tastes in medicine.

The way it works is pretty neat:

It slips into the fungal cell and grabs onto iron ions that the yeast needs for its energy metabolism; this basically starves it out. But the full mechanism isn't 100% pinned down and some research also points it to interfering with ergosterol (a building block of the fungal cell membrane).

Besides antifungal action, it also has mild anti-inflammatory and soothing effects to help calm itchiness in the scalp.

Typical usage concentrations are low. The EU permits it to be a preservative up to 1% in rinse-off products and 0.5% in leave-on products.

Though it's generally well-tolerated, a small number of people may notice itching or irritation (as with any active).