Malic acid (Fruit Acid)
AKA “Fruit Acid”
Acid
Ingredient Facts
Malic acid (Fruit Acid)
Acid · Buffering · EWG: 4
Plant-Derived
Acid
Not Clean
Malic Acid [Fruit Acid] is a cosmetic ingredient used as buffering.
Family
Found in various plant families, particularly Rosaceae (apples, pears)
Plant Part
Fruit
Lifeform
Annual
Climate
Temperate
CAS #
97-67-6
Form
Liquid
See origin →
Functions
Buffering
Stabilizes pH
Antioxidant Protection
Reduces Inflammation
Fights Bacteria
Traditional Use
Identified in apples in the 19th century; historically used in folk remedies for skin clarification. Became a mainstream cosmetic ingredient in the 1980s-90s as part of the alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) skincare revolution for gentle exfoliation.
Skin Types
●all-skin-types
Best For
Dullness
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding Safe
Yes
Amended Safety Assessment of Malic Acid and Sodium Malate as Used in Cosmetics.
Burnett CL, Bergfeld WF, Belsito DV, Hill RA, Klaassen CD et al.
International journal of toxicology, 2022
Amended Safety Assessment of Malic Acid and Sodium Malate as Used in Cosmetics
Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel
International Journal of Toxicology
Final Report on the Safety Assessment of Malic Acid and Sodium Malate
Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel
International Journal of Toxicology
Malic Acid
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
Malic Acid [Fruit Acid]
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
Tartaric Acid [AHA Fruit Acid]
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
Malic Acid
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
Topical azelaic acid, salicylic acid, nicotinamide, sulphur, zinc and fruit acid (alpha-hydroxy acid) for acne.
Liu H, Yu H, Xia J, Liu L, Liu GJ et al.
The Cochrane database of systematic reviews, 2020
Verified Jun 2026
Data: Kew POWO · CosIng · EWG · CIR