Malic Acid
What Malic Acid is & what it does
An apple-derived alpha-hydroxy acid that gently exfoliates and helps balance pH, smoothing and brightening skin. It is often paired with other acids.
What does Malic Acid do in skincare?
Malic Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) found naturally in fruits such as apples, and is used in cosmetics for exfoliation and pH adjustment. It can help refine the look of skin texture and is sometimes paired with other acids. At low levels it mainly works to balance a formula's pH.
Is Malic Acid safe?
Malic Acid is widely used in cosmetics and is generally considered safe at the concentrations and pH levels used in skincare. Like other AHAs, it can increase skin's sensitivity to the sun, so daily sunscreen use is recommended. Those with sensitive skin may prefer to patch test first.
Is Malic Acid natural or synthetic?
Malic Acid occurs naturally in many fruits, but the cosmetic-grade ingredient is often produced synthetically for purity and consistency. Both forms are chemically the same.
Sunscreens with Malic Acid
We rate 30 sunscreens that contain it, showing the top 10 by overall score:
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Sanosan Baby Sun Cream SPF50 +
91/100
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Eskulin Kids Sunscreen SPF 50 Pa+++
91/100
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RITUALS Sun Lotion SPF 50
87/100
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Ajanta Pharma Ltd Sunstop Acne SPF 80 Pa+++ Advanced Sun Protection Gel
86/100
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Dermina Comforting Cream SPF 50
85/100
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JM Solution Calming Cica Sun Cream SPF 50+ PA++++
83/100
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Sun Pharma Photostable Acne Sunscreen Gel SPF 55+ Pa+++
82/100
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Josie Maran Whipped Argan Oil Mineral SPF 45 Body Butter
81/100
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RITUALS Sun Face Cream SPF 50
80/100
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EltaMD Uv Active Broad-Spectrum Spf 50+
79/100