EDTA (EthyleneDiamineTetraacetic Acid)

EDTA (EthyleneDiamineTetraacetic Acid) is one of the commonly used chelating agents in cosmetic and skin care formulations. The major mode of application that this product undergoes is by binding with metal ions, which may be present either in water or raw materials, thus helping prevent the metals from undesirable reactions in formulations. This becomes very important because these metal ions can result in instability of products, discoloration, and even active ingredient degradation, which could further affect the effectiveness of the product and its shelf life.
EDTA in skin care is important to enhancing overall stability and effectiveness through complexation. The complexation with metal ions will contribute to maintaining the pH level and avoiding the formation of complexes that could attenuate the activity of the product. This makes it advantageous in antioxidant formulations, where it has the effect of protecting these sensitive compounds from potential oxidation, which diminishes their effectiveness.
Many cosmetic formulations incorporate EDTA, which includes creams, lotions, shampoos, and cleansers. The improved texture and sensory feel of the products will make application much more pleasant. Besides this, EDTA, due to its compatibility with most active ingredients, may contribute to keeping other formulation components active and stable for a longer time.
Despite its useful properties, the use of EDTA has raised some concerns about environmental impact due to its not being readily biodegradable. More recently, many formulations have moved to its sodium salts, such as disodium EDTA or tetrasodium EDTA, as an environmentally cleaner alternative. These variants continue to carry out their chelation functions effectively but help to diminish potential environmental concerns.