A brief that only says “add lactic” or “add a gentle AHA” is still not a sample request. Lactobionic Acid is a defined INCI: 4-O-β-D-galactopyranosyl-D-gluconic acid, the aldonic acid from oxidized lactose. PubChem lists C12H22O12, molecular weight 358.30, and CAS 96-82-2. Several hydroxyl groups sit on that larger molecule, which is why formulators class it as a polyhydroxy acid (PHA).
It is not lactic acid, not glycolic acid, and not gluconolactone. Clear those gates before you ask for a price: Lactobionic vs Lactic Acid: 358 g/mol Is Not 90 g/mol and Lactobionic Acid or Gluconolactone: Open Acid vs Lactone.
What the INCI is locking
CosIng / COSMILE mirrors list the function as buffering: it can help hold the pH of a finished product. The grade on this site is a white to off-white crystalline powder, freely soluble in water, with typical purity often listed at 99% or higher depending on grade. Suggested finished-product pH on the product page is 3.0–5.0, depending on the target application.
For purchasing, write the INCI Lactobionic Acid and CAS 96-82-2. Ask for a COA that shows the same name and the assay the lot actually controls. Do not accept a lactic acid COA against this line.
What “for skin” is deciding
Searches for lactobionic acid for skin are placement questions. Buyers put it in water-based serums, creams, toners, and masks when they want a hydroxy acid that is larger than glycolic or lactic acid, with humectant-leaning hydroxyl groups as well as acid function. That describes the formula job. It does not promise a change in wrinkles or tone on every panel.
A 2010 study on 77 volunteers compared lactobionic acid with glycolic acid in gel and emulsion vehicles. The lactobionic samples showed less irritation and less barrier disruption than the matching glycolic samples in that test. The paper discusses 6% lactobionic acid in one emulsion. That figure belongs to those test vehicles. Set the level for your base from the TDS of the drum you buy.
How this powder goes into water
Dissolve it gradually in the aqueous phase with agitation so the crystals clear. The acid moves the pH of the finished product, so the specification has to state that finished pH—not only the description of the dry powder. Use buffering where the chassis needs a stable window through storage. Confirm process and target pH against the TDS.
The product page notes pairing with Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer when the brief wants complementary hydration alongside this PHA. That remains a second purchase line and a second COA.
It does not replace the preservation assessment of the finished product.
CIR AHA limits stay on other acids
CIR’s alpha hydroxy acid assessment covers glycolic acid and lactic acid. Lactobionic acid is not in that ingredient list. Leave those concentration and pH limits on the acids they were written for. Write the lactobionic level and finished pH from this grade’s own TDS and from your finished-product safety assessment.
What not to substitute silently
Lactic acid is C3H6O3 at about 90 g/mol. Shared letters in the name come from a common word root with lactose; the structures do not match. Glycolic acid is smaller still. Gluconolactone is a lactone PHA that opens in water toward gluconic acid—it is not this lactose-derived aldonic acid. Split those decisions in the two cluster notes linked above.
What to send before the first sample ships
Put these lines in the message to the supplier:
- INCI Lactobionic Acid
- CAS 96-82-2
- Assay or marker the COA controls (≥99% if that is your brief)
- Confirmation of water-phase dissolve and target finished pH for your process
- Bench-sample pack size, plus COA, SDS, and TDS with the shipment
Batch documents and a sample are available from the product page. Match the sample COA to the specification you wrote, then scale. A clear lactobionic INCI usually returns documents and a quote; a vague “gentle acid / lactic-type PHA” line usually returns clarifying questions first.
