Services
Catalog
Explore the full catalog1,000+ formulas ready to carry your brandFace careFull range
Serums, creams and targeted care, formulated with your actives.
Hair careFull range
From shampoo to leave-in, for every hair type.
Body careFull range
Moisturizing, nourishing and shower care: cream, butter or oil.
Hammam and naturalFull range
Black soap, argan and authentic Moroccan rituals.
Specialty careFull range
Sun care, lips, intimate care and oral care.
Industries
All solutions by industryFormulas and formats for your businessHospitality and wellness
Brands and creators
Our brands
Our own brands, developed and made in our laboratory.
DermocosmeticsSublime CosmeticsFace, sun and body care for pharmacies and drugstores.Visit the website
Hammam and spaLalla MamaMoroccan hammam rituals: black soap, rhassoul, oils and body care.Visit the website
Equine careStallionGrooming care for horses: mane, coat and hooves.Visit the websiteLaboratory
Our factory in Aït MelloulISO 22716 and ISO 9001, visits by appointmentDiscover the factory
Cosmetics manufacturer based in Agadir
500+ brands35+ countries1,000+ formulas
Our factory in Aït Melloul
Up to 3 million units a yearVisits by appointment
Contract manufacturing, step by step
RegulationsCostsProject steps
Join our teams in Agadir
FormulationProductionQualityRegulatorySales
Resources
Potassium sorbate is the potassium salt of sorbic acid, a preservative studied mainly against yeasts and molds56. European regulation allows it up to 0.6% expressed as acid (Annex V, entry 4)2. Its toxicity is very low in animal studies, with rare skin intolerances3. Its effectiveness depends on the medium, including pH.
Entry from our cosmetic ingredient glossary. Regulatory data from the European Commission's CosIng database1 and Regulation (EC) 1223/20092. Copy the identifiers in one click for your files.
Each result shows the protocol and the level of evidence. The higher the level, the better the result carries over to a finished formula.
Acetic acid inhibits the yeast only at a molar concentration 42 times higher than sorbic acid, and it works by acidifying the inside of the cell. Sorbic acid seems to act differently: it is a membrane-active compound that inhibits the H⁺-ATPase proton pump5.
For all four acids tested, the minimum inhibitory concentration is lower at pH 5.0 than at pH 6.0. Activity depends on the undissociated form of the acid and also on its dissociated form. Dehydroacetic acid most often has a lower inhibitory concentration than sorbic acid6.
Both studies use food media or a yeast. They show that the medium and the pH matter, not at which exact pH a sorbate protects a cosmetic emulsion. That window is verified with a preservation test on the finished formula.
Acute, short-term, chronic, reproduction and teratogenicity tests show very low toxicity in mammals, even at 10% of the diet, with no carcinogenic or mutagenic effect. Sorbic acid is metabolized like other fatty acids. A few cases of intolerance (non-immunological contact urticaria, pseudo-allergy) are described, too few to estimate their frequency3.
From an extended one-generation reproduction study, EFSA sets a group acceptable daily intake of 11 mg sorbic acid per kg of body weight for sorbic acid and its potassium salt4. This figure concerns food, not cosmetic use.
The panel judges these ingredients safe in the present practices of use. In 2001, it noted non-immunological contact urticaria (5% benzyl alcohol, 2% benzoic acid) and advised caution for products intended for children7. In 2017, it confirms safety of use8.
After reviewing use data and new safety data, the panel confirms that sodium dehydroacetate and dehydroacetic acid are safe in the present practices of use9.
This page summarizes published literature on a cosmetic ingredient. It does not describe the effect of a finished product, which depends on its formula, and it is not medical advice. Potassium sorbate is a functional ingredient: it protects the formula and has no "care" effect. The activity trials cited were run in food media or on yeasts, not in cosmetic emulsions: they shed light on the mechanism, not on the level in a formula. This page says so plainly.
No trial cited compares potassium sorbate concentrations in a formula. The regulation sets 0.6% expressed as sorbic acid (Annex V, entry 4)2. Potassium sorbate being a heavier salt, this represents about 0.8% sorbate (calculated from molar masses 150.2 and 112.1). The level in a formula is set with the formulator and validated with a preservation test.
No formula in our white label catalog features potassium sorbate yet. Our formulation lab can add it to a custom formula or to a catalog formula. Its common uses:
Common preservative in water-based creams, gels and lotions.
Common preservative in water-based lotions, shower gels and body care.
Common preservative in rinse-off and leave-on shampoos and hair care.
Four preservatives perceived as mild. The limits are those of Annex V of the regulation2.
| Potassium sorbate | Sodium benzoate | Benzyl alcohol | Dehydroacetic acid | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annex V entry | 4: 0.6% (as acid)2 | 1: 0.5% (as acid) leave-on, 2.5% rinse-off excluding oral care products2 | 34: 1.0%2 | 13: 0.6% (as acid)2 |
| Regulatory particularity | No condition of use2 | Shared entry with benzoic acid2 | Fragrance allergen when not used as a preservative (Annex III, entry 45): to declare above 0.001% leave-on and 0.01% rinse-off213 | Not to be used in aerosol dispensers (sprays)2 |
| CosIng functions | Preservative, fragrance1 | Anticorrosive, fragrance, preservative10 | Preservative, solvent, viscosity controlling, fragrance11 | Preservative12 |
| What the assessments say | Very low toxicity, rare skin intolerances3 | Safe at current uses (CIR); non-immunological urticaria possible78 | Safe at current uses (CIR); non-immunological reactions at 5%78 | Safe at current uses (CIR), 1985 conclusion confirmed9 |
Peer-reviewed studies and official regulatory sources, checked on November 3, 2026.
A product specialist reviews your request and gets back to you on the channel you prefer.
No obligation. Your information stays confidential and is used only to prepare your quote.
