Fructose

Fructose is a monosaccharide sugar occurring naturally in fruits and plant syrups. In formulations it works as a humectant that draws moisture into the stratum corneum and improves spreadability without adding oiliness.
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Ingredient Snapshot

Overview
Fruit sugar that helps skin attract and hold onto moisture.
Category
Hydration, Skin Conditioning
Type
Humectant

Ingredient Ratings

Overall Rating

Good

Comedogenic Risk

None

Skin Benefits

Helps keep skin feeling comfortably hydrated and reduces the sensation of dryness-related tightness. Contributes to a dewy finish without heaviness.

Uses In Skincare & Cosmetics

Common in lotions, toners, and sheet masks as a lightweight humectant for water-based formulas.

Comedogenic Rating

This ingredient is not typically evaluated for comedogenicity, and no standardized rating is available.

Safety

Generally safe and non-sensitizing at cosmetic concentrations. Can feel tacky at higher levels but irritation is uncommon.

Is Fructose a Good Ingredient?

It's Good because it's a well-established humectant that reliably boosts surface hydration with a low likelihood of irritation. It stays at Good rather than Great since the benefit is essentially moisturization alone, with limited evidence for anything beyond that in leave-on products.

Products with Fructose

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