Trehalose

Trehalose is a sweet-tasting saccharide consisting of two glucose molecules (a.k.a. disaccharide, similar to sucrose or lactose).

It can be found in various yeasts and fungi and is manufactured from starch for cosmetic purposes. It is mainly used for its humectant properties in skincare products (i.e., its ability to attract and bind water to the skin’s surface), as well as its ability to protect the top layer of the skin from drying out.

It is also used as a flavoring agent due to its sweet taste. When compared to sucrose, it is more stable in different pHs and temperatures, less sticky, and holds water better - which makes it one of the most used sugars in cosmetic formulations. It is also able to mask the unpleasant odor of other ingredients.

The latest dermatologic publications are currently exploring the possibility of using Trehalose as an anti-acne ingredient because it seems to (very simply put) slow down the clogging of the sebaceous glands by regulating the speed at which skin cells divide and peel off.

For this effect to work, however, the ingredient needs to be packed into a special skin delivery system called liposomes.