About this material
Potassium Hydroxide is an Alkali supplied by MakeYourSkin as flakes / solution for professional cosmetic formulation. Used worldwide across mainstream cosmetic formulation, it is valued for ph adjustment, saponification.
What is Potassium Hydroxide?
Potassium Hydroxide is supplied under the INCI / technical name Potassium Hydroxide and carries CAS number 1310-58-3.
It belongs to the Alkali group and is derived from synthetic. The material reaches you as flakes / solution. It is an established cosmetic raw material with mature supply and well-understood formulation behaviour.
Key Properties & Benefits
- PH adjustment
- Saponification
- Supplied cosmetic grade with a Certificate of Analysis for every batch.
Uses & Applications
Potassium Hydroxide is used in every water-containing format where stability, clarity and preservative efficacy matter.
Typical applications from the catalogue record: Soap, carbomer neutralisation, pH correction.
As a formulation essential it is specified by function rather than by claim, and the level is set by the performance the formula needs rather than by a marketing target.
How to Use — Recommended Use Level
| Typical use level | No single published figure applies to every grade of this material. As a working rule, start water-phase actives at 0.5–2%, oil-phase actives at 1–5%, standardised or potent isolates at 0.05–0.5%, and supplier-diluted solutions at the percentage the technical data sheet specifies. Always confirm the exact level against the supplier TDS, your stability and compatibility testing, and the safety assessment for your finished product. |
|---|---|
| Recommended pH | formulation-dependent |
| Addition phase | As per the supplier technical data sheet |
| Solubility | Water-soluble. Disperse into the water phase with stirring; avoid prolonged high heat where the material is heat-sensitive. |
No single published use level applies to every grade of this material, so the figure above is a general starting rule rather than a specification.
General rule: always begin at the lower end of the range, confirm the level against the supplier technical data sheet, and validate stability, pH, colour, odour and preservative efficacy on the finished formulation before scaling up.
Technical Specification
| INCI / Technical Name | Potassium Hydroxide |
|---|---|
| CAS Number | 1310-58-3 |
| Ingredient Family | Alkali |
| Primary Cosmetic Functions | pH adjustment; saponification |
| Typical Applications | Soap, carbomer neutralisation, pH correction |
| Source / Feedstock | Synthetic |
| Origin / Tradition | Global |
| Typical Bulk Form | Flakes / solution |
| Appearance | White to off-white flakes, pastilles or pellets |
| Solubility | Water Soluble |
| Market Status | Established |
| Catalogue Range | Core Range |
| Storage | Store in a tightly closed container at 15–25 °C, away from direct sunlight. Protect from freezing and from prolonged heat. |
| Shelf Life | 24–36 months from manufacture in unopened original packaging; see the Certificate of Analysis |
| Vendor | MakeYourSkin |
| MYS Catalogue Code | MYS-N00182 |
Technical Notes
The soap-maker's alkali; also used for carbomer neutralisation in some systems.
Regulatory Note
Supplier diligence required: Corrosive; concentration in the finished product is restricted by format.
Sold as a cosmetic raw material for professional formulation. A published INCI name does not by itself authorise use: the buyer is responsible for confirming permitted status, maximum concentration, restrictions by product type, labelling and claim rules in every market the finished product is sold in. In India, cosmetics fall under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940 and the Cosmetics Rules 2020 administered by CDSCO, with BIS standards (including IS 4707 Part 2) listing restricted substances. The EU applies Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 and its Annexes; the United States applies the FD&C Act as amended by MoCRA; Korea, Japan and China operate their own positive lists and functional-cosmetic frameworks. Every finished product needs its own safety assessment.
Reference: Regulatory / scientific reference
Documentation Supplied
- Certificate of Analysis (CoA) for the batch supplied
- Safety Data Sheet (SDS / MSDS) in the current GHS format
- Technical Data Sheet (TDS) with specification, solubility and handling guidance
- INCI declaration and, where assigned, CAS / EINECS numbers
- Non-GMO statement on request
- Vegan / animal-origin declaration on request
- Halal and Kosher certification on request where the supplier holds it
- Heavy-metal and microbiological test data on request
Available Pack Sizes
Supplied in 50 g, 225 g, 1 Kg and 5 Kg packs. Bulk quantities above 5 Kg, and drum or sack quantities, are available on request — contact the MakeYourSkin sales desk for a quotation and lead time.
| 50 g | Pilot batches and small production runs |
|---|---|
| 225 g | Pilot batches and indie production runs |
| 1 Kg | Regular production for small and mid-size brands |
| 5 Kg | Scaled production and contract manufacturing |
Disclaimer & Caution in Use
For external cosmetic use in professionally formulated products only. This is a concentrated raw material, not a finished cosmetic, and it is not intended for undiluted application to skin, for ingestion, or for any medicinal purpose. Wear gloves and eye protection when handling, avoid raising dust with powders, and keep out of reach of children and pets. Always run a patch test on the finished formulation, and validate stability, compatibility, pH and preservative efficacy before sale. Information supplied is offered in good faith as formulation guidance and does not constitute a safety assessment, a regulatory approval or a medical claim.
Corrosive. Causes severe skin burns and eye damage. Handle with full PPE, add slowly to water with stirring, and never handle without an eyewash station available.
Restricted or high-diligence material. Confirm your legal position in every destination market before ordering. Supplied on the understanding that the buyer holds responsibility for compliant use, permitted concentration and claim wording.
Specification
| INCI NAME | Potassium Hydroxide |
|---|---|
| CAS NUMBER | 1310-58-3 |
| FAMILY | Alkali |
| ORIGIN | Global — Synthetic |
| SUPPLY FORM | Flakes / solution |
| SOLUBILITY | Water Soluble — Water-soluble. Disperse into the water phase with stirring; avoid prolonged high heat where the material is heat-sensitive. |
| TYPICAL USE LEVEL | No single published figure applies to every grade of this material. As a working rule, start water-phase actives at 0.5–2%, oil-phase actives at 1–5%, standardised or potent isolates at 0.05–0.5%, and supplier-diluted solutions at the percentage the technical data sheet specifies. Always confirm the exact level against the supplier TDS, your stability and compatibility testing, and the safety assessment for your finished product. |
| pH RANGE | formulation-dependent |
| ADD AT | As per the supplier technical data sheet |
| FUNCTIONS | pH adjustment; saponification |
| USED IN | Soap, carbomer neutralisation, pH correction |
| STORAGE | Store in a tightly closed container at 15–25 °C, away from direct sunlight. Protect from freezing and from prolonged heat. |
| PACK SIZES | 50 g to 5 Kg |
| REGULATORY | Corrosive; concentration in the finished product is restricted by format |
How to work with it
The specification's Add at row is the one to read first. Water-phase materials added to a hot oil phase are the most common reason a batch separates.
Measure the finished product, not the premix. Outside the range the activity drops away and, for some materials, the degradation route is what causes complaints.
Then work up through stability and compatibility testing. Higher is not better, and the destination market's limit may sit below your formulation ceiling.