Potassium Citrate

Potassium Citrate is the tripotassium salt of citric acid, a white, freely water-soluble crystalline solid. In skincare it buffers and fine-tunes pH, balances electrolytes, and boosts stability in cleansers, lotions, gels, and mists.
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Ingredient Snapshot

Overview
A pH-balancing ingredient that keeps formulas gentle on skin.
Category
Sensitive Skin
Type
pH Adjuster

Ingredient Ratings

Overall Rating

Good

Comedogenic Risk

None

Skin Benefits

Maintains a skin-comfortable acidity that can support barrier-friendly conditions and reduce pH-related irritation. Provides reliable pH control for consistent feel across uses.

Uses In Skincare & Cosmetics

Common in micellar waters, gel-cream moisturizers, and emulsion moisturizers to keep acidity within a target range.

Comedogenic Rating

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

Safety

Low irritation risk at usual use levels. If overused or if pH is mis-set, it can contribute to irritation; formulators should verify final pH. No common regulatory limits noted for topical use.

Is Potassium Citrate a Good Ingredient?

Rated Good for reliable pH buffering that helps keep formulas skin-comfortable and consistent. Benefits are mostly indirect, so it doesn’t reach Great despite solid performance and low irritation potential.

Products with Potassium Citrate

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