What it is
Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate is produced by breaking down starch into smaller sugars and then hydrogenating them into sugar alcohols (polyols), yielding a syrupy mixture of sorbitol, maltitol, and longer-chain polyols. In skincare it acts as a humectant that attracts and holds water, helping to hydrate skin and improve the feel of the formula. It is also widely used as a food sweetener, reflecting its sugar-alcohol nature.
Safety & warnings
As a sugar-alcohol humectant it has a long record of safe use in both food and cosmetics and is generally non-irritating. It is water-soluble and not comedogenic, and it contains no fragrance allergens.
Origin & sourcing
Plant-derived but processed; made by enzymatic or acid hydrolysis of starch followed by hydrogenation to convert the sugars into polyols.
Questions everyone asks
What is hydrogenated starch hydrolysate?
It is a syrup of sugar alcohols made by hydrolyzing starch and hydrogenating the resulting sugars; in skincare it works as a humectant.
What does it do in a formula?
It draws in and holds water to help hydrate skin and improve the overall feel of the product.