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Menthyl Lactate

What Menthyl Lactate is & what it does

A milder, longer-lasting cooling agent derived from menthol and lactic acid. It gives a fresh, cool feel with less sting than menthol.

Is Menthyl Lactate safe?

Menthyl Lactate is a menthol derivative widely used to give a cooling sensation in cosmetics and is generally well tolerated at typical use levels. It produces a milder cooling effect than menthol and is often chosen for that reason. People with very sensitive skin may still prefer to patch test cooling ingredients.

What does Menthyl Lactate do in skincare?

Menthyl Lactate is used to provide a gentle, long-lasting cooling and refreshing sensation on the skin. It is a common choice in after-sun, sport, and refreshing formulas. It delivers the cool feel of menthol with less of the sharp, intense bite.

Is Menthyl Lactate natural or synthetic?

Menthyl Lactate is synthetic in the sense that it is made by combining menthol with lactic acid, both of which can come from natural or synthetic sources. The finished cooling agent is a processed derivative rather than a directly extracted material. Its source depends on the supplier.

Sunscreens with Menthyl Lactate

We rate 52 sunscreens that contain it, showing the top 10 by overall score:

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