What Is Trihexyl acetylcitrate?

Learn about the antioxidant, chelating, plasticizer, skin conditioning, and skin conditioning emollient characteristics of Trihexyl acetylcitrate and its usage in personal care products.

What Is Trihexyl acetylcitrate? Brandon Jones / IngredientReviewer

Last Updated: October 2, 2024

Written by Brandon Jones

What Is Trihexyl acetylcitrate?

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What is the purpose of Trihexyl acetylcitrate in personal care products? It is used for its antioxidant, chelating, plasticizer, skin conditioning, and skin conditioning emollient characteristics. Trihexyl acetylcitrate prevents oxidation, prevents ingredient degradation, makes materials softer and flexible, moisturizes and strengthens skin, and hydrates skin to prevent dryness.

Names and identifiers that we found for this substance include: Trihexyl acetylcitrate, Citroflex A 6, "Citric acid, trihexyl ester, acetate", Trihexyl 2-(acetyloxy)propane-1,2,3-tricarboxylate, and "1,​2,​3-​Propanetricarboxylic acid, 2-​(acetyloxy)​-​, 1,​2,​3-​trihexyl ester".

What Are Antioxidant Ingredients?

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Trihexyl acetylcitrate has antioxidant characteristics.

Antioxidants neutralize harmful molecules caused by pollution, UV radiation, and stress that can damage skin cells. Antioxidants can help reduce inflammation and redness. Antioxidant ingredients are also used in skincare products to keep skin healthy and youthful, extend the shelf life of food and beverages, and prevent the breakdown of active ingredients in medications.

Types of Antioxidants Ingredients

Here are some of the most common types of antioxidants ingredients in cosmetics and other products:

  • Vitamins: Certain vitamins, such as vitamins C, E, and A (retinol), are known for their antioxidant properties.

  • Botanical extracts: Many plants contain natural antioxidants that can be extracted and used in cosmetics. Examples include green tea, grape seed, pomegranate, and chamomile.

  • Peptides: Certain peptides, such as glutathione, can have antioxidant properties and may be used in cosmetics.

  • Carotenoids: Carotenoids are pigments found in plants that have antioxidant properties. Some examples include lycopene, beta-carotene, and astaxanthin.

What Are Chelating Ingredients?

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Trihexyl acetylcitrate has chelating characteristics.

Chelating ingredients in cosmetic products help maintain the product's effectiveness and stability by preventing degradation. They work by binding to metal ions, such as calcium, magnesium, and iron, that can be present in the water used to make the product or that may be present on the skin.

These metal ions can cause the cosmetic product to deteriorate over time, leading to color, texture, and odor changes. Chelating ingredients help to prevent this by capturing the metal ions and preventing them from reacting with the other ingredients in the product.

In addition, chelating ingredients can help enhance preservatives' effectiveness by preventing them from being deactivated by metal ions.

Chelating Ingredients in Other Products

Chelating ingredients can be used in food and beverages to control metal ions affecting taste, color, and texture. For example, they stabilize colors in canned fruits and vegetables and prevent oxidation in wine.

Chelating agents are used in pharmaceutical products to help improve their stability and shelf life. They can help to prevent metal-catalyzed degradation and enhance the effectiveness of certain drugs.

Types of Chelating Ingredients

Here are some of the most common types of chelating ingredients:

  • Amino acids and peptides: These compounds contain functional groups that can form coordination bonds with metal ions, such as carboxylic acid and amine groups.

  • Polycarboxylic acids: These are complex organic acids with multiple carboxylic acid functional groups that can form strong chelating complexes with metal ions.

  • Organic acids: These include citric acid, acetic acid, and oxalic acid, which can form chelating complexes with metal ions.

  • Sugars and sugar acids: These include compounds such as glucose, fructose, and gluconic acid, which can form chelating complexes with metal ions.

  • Polyamines: These are organic compounds with multiple amine functional groups that can form coordination bonds with metal ions.

  • Hydroxycarboxylic acids: These include compounds such as gluconic acid and tartaric acid, which can form chelating complexes with metal ions.

  • Sulfonic acids: These are organic acids containing functional groups that can form chelating complexes with metal ions.

  • Phosphates: These include compounds such as phosphoric acid, which can form chelating complexes with metal ions.

What Are Plasticizer Ingredients?

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Trihexyl acetylcitrate has plasticizer characteristics.

Polymers are materials made up of many smaller units called monomers, and they can be found in many products we use every day, including cosmetics. However, some polymers can be stiff and difficult to work with, and that's where plasticizers come in. Plasticizers are ingredients used in cosmetic products to soften and make synthetic polymers more flexible.

Plasticizers make the polymers more supple, making it easier to spread, deform, or work with the product. Without plasticizers, some synthetic polymers would be too rigid to be used in cosmetic products, as they would not be able to spread evenly over the skin or be easily applied to the desired area. Therefore, plasticizers are an essential ingredient in many cosmetic products, helping to make them more user-friendly and effective.

Plasticizers are commonly used in products beyond cosmetics, including plastics, coatings, adhesives, etc. In these applications, plasticizers serve a similar purpose of improving the flexibility and workability of synthetic polymers.

What Are Skin Conditioning Ingredients?

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Trihexyl acetylcitrate has skin conditioning characteristics.

Skin conditioning ingredients improve the texture, feel, and overall appearance of the skin, helping to avoid harmful effects from external factors. Skin conditioning ingredients moisturize the skin and strengthen its natural barrier function to help protect it from damage caused by harsh weather and sunlight. Some skin conditioning ingredients are anti-inflammatory and can help reduce redness and irritated skin.

What Are Skin Conditioning Emollient Ingredients?

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Trihexyl acetylcitrate has skin conditioning emollient characteristics.

Skin conditioning emollients help improve the skin's texture and appearance while providing it with the necessary hydration to prevent dryness and flakiness. Emollients are lubricants that create a barrier on the skin's surface to trap moisture, which helps prevent dryness and dehydration.

Skin conditioning emollients are commonly found in cosmetics such as moisturizers and lotions, which significantly help maintain healthy and youthful-looking skin. Emollients are typically made from natural oils, such as coconut or jojoba, and can also contain humectants that draw moisture to the skin's surface.

Safety

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Remember, always read and follow the instructions provided on product labels carefully. If you have any questions or concerns about using a product containing various ingredients, consult with your doctor or healthcare provider before use.