Quick answer: lactobionic acid and lactic acid are not interchangeable on a purchase order. Shared letters in the name do not make one molecule. Lactobionic Acid is the 358 g/mol PHA from oxidized lactose. Lactic acid is the much smaller AHA.
Lactobionic Acid: PHA from Oxidized Lactose, Not Lactic Acid covers sampling the powder. The other PHA buyers set beside it is in Lactobionic Acid or Gluconolactone: Open Acid vs Lactone.
Two molecules, one misleading word root
PubChem lists lactobionic acid as C12H22O12, molecular weight 358.30, CAS 96-82-2. It is 4-O-β-D-galactopyranosyl-D-gluconic acid. Lactic acid is C3H6O3, molecular weight 90.08. The shared letters come from lactose and lactic sharing a word root. The structures do not match, and one COA does not cover the other.
If the brief says “lactic-type exfoliant” but the formula sheet already prints Lactobionic Acid, order the lactobionic page. If the brief truly needs lactic acid, that is a different INCI and a different supplier line—this site does not list a lactic acid product page in this series.
Glycolic acid sits in the same “small AHA” comparison
Glycolic acid is the still smaller comparison, C2H4O3, molecular weight 76.05. Searches for lactobionic vs glycolic are the same purchasing question as vs lactic: do not fill a large PHA line with a small AHA.
A 2010 study compared lactobionic acid with glycolic acid, not with lactic acid, in gel and emulsion vehicles. The lactobionic samples showed less irritation and less barrier disruption in that test. The 6% level in the paper is the concentration of those samples. It is not a reason to treat either acid as a substitute, and it is not a default use level for every chassis.
What the CIR conclusion covers
CIR’s alpha hydroxy acid assessment covers glycolic acid and lactic acid. The conclusion quoted in CIR’s 2013 re-review is that glycolic and lactic acid are safe in leave-on products at up to 10%, at a finished pH of 3.5 or higher, when the formula avoids raising sun sensitivity or the directions include daily sun protection. Salon rinse-off uses in that same conclusion go higher, with their own conditions.
Lactobionic acid is absent from that ingredient list. Keep the CIR limits on lactic acid and glycolic acid. Write the lactobionic level from its own TDS and finished-product assessment.
If the brief also calls for lactic acid or glycolic acid beside lactobionic acid, each one needs its own INCI line and its own COA.
What changes on the purchase order
| Field | Lactobionic Acid | Lactic Acid | Glycolic Acid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical class | PHA (aldonic acid from lactose) | AHA | AHA |
| Formula (PubChem) | C12H22O12 | C3H6O3 | C2H4O3 |
| Molecular weight | ~358.30 | ~90.08 | ~76.05 |
| Common CAS | 96-82-2 | Separate lactic CAS on that COA | Separate glycolic CAS on that COA |
| CIR AHA memo | Not on the list | Covered | Covered |
| On this site | Product page | No page in this series | No page |
What to put in the sample or quote email
- Exact INCI: Lactobionic Acid (not lactic acid, not glycolic acid)
- CAS 96-82-2 for the lactobionic grade
- Assay target and water-soluble powder form
- One line stating the formula job is the lactose-derived PHA, so a small AHA is not substituted
- Sample pack size, plus COA, SDS, and TDS
Documents and samples are on the Lactobionic Acid page. Send the inquiry there once the INCI is locked.
