Formulating with Citric Acid: Why We Use Citric Acid
When formulating sugar paste for uses such as sugaring or creating modeling materials, citric acid is often chosen over lemon juice for several important reasons:
Consistent pH Control
Citric acid provides a more "consistent and precise" pH control. The pH of citric acid is predictable and can be accurately measured and adjusted, ensuring that the final product remains within the desired pH range, typically neutral or mildly acidic. This consistency is crucial for achieving a uniform texture, stability, and safety of the product.
Lemon juice, on the other hand, has a "variable pH" due to fluctuations in its natural composition. The acidity in lemon juice can vary depending on the specific lemon used, ripeness, storage conditions, and even seasonality. This introduces inconsistency in the formulation, which could lead to unpredictable results in texture, viscosity, effectiveness and shelf life.
Minimised Skin Irritation
Citric acid - when used in controlled, measured amounts, citric acid is "gentler on the skin". It is a commonly used ingredient in cosmetics and personal care products because of its mildness, and it does not cause irritation in the concentrations typically used in sugar paste formulas. Its acidic nature helps to achieve the desired properties in the paste without causing damage or discomfort during application.
Lemon juice contains citric acid but also has other components, such as essential oils and compounds like limonene and flavonoids, which can be irritating or sensitising to some people, especially when exposed to the skin for extended periods. These compounds can cause skin reactions such as redness, irritation, or allergic responses, making lemon juice a less reliable option for skin-safe formulations.
Product Stability
Citric acid enhances the shelf-life and stability of the sugar paste. Citric acid acts as a preservative and stabiliser by helping to balance the pH, reducing the likelihood of microbial growth and ensuring that the product stays effective over time.
Lemon juice can contribute to microbial growth because it contains more water and organic material than citric acid in its pure form. This can lead to quicker spoilage or reduced shelf life in the sugar paste. The moisture and organic compounds in lemon juice can also affect the texture of the paste, making it harder to achieve the right consistency.
Precise Formulation Control
The use of pure citric acid allows for better control over the overall formulation. Manufacturers such as Sugar & Mila can precisely adjust the amount of citric acid to achieve the right balance of acidity in the sugar paste, resulting in a product that behaves predictably every time it's made and one of the many reasons they achieved their clear paste.
With lemon juice, it's much harder to ensure consistency between batches. The juice may have varying sugar content, acidity, and water content, which can lead to differences in the final product's texture, adhesion properties, and overall performance.
The Acid Mantle
The skin's acid mantle is a thin, protective layer on the surface of the skin that maintains its natural pH level, typically between 4.5 and 5.5. This slightly acidic environment helps protect the skin from harmful bacteria, pollution, and other external factors. When creating or using sugaring paste, it is important to ensure that the ingredients do not disrupt the skin's acid mantle or cause irritation.
Minimising Irritation
To minimise irritation when using sugaring paste:
- Test the paste: Before applying to larger areas, do a patch test on a small part of your body (like the inner wrist or behind the ear) to ensure there is no adverse reaction.
- Seek Sugaring Experts: Customers are becoming more aware of the options available and are seeking natural alternatives in their daily beauty regime.
- Aftercare: After sugaring, skin is restored with Soothing Water and Skin Relief Oil or our Alpha Bisabolol Soothe & Heal Balm to calm and soothe skin. Avoid using products containing alcohol or strong fragrances immediately after sugaring, as they can irritate the skin.
By keeping the pH of the sugaring paste balanced and using gentle ingredients, you can effectively remove hair without damaging the skin or causing irritation.
Wound Healing Trials
It has been reported that a complex process of healing of an infected wound can be affected by surface pH. The environment of acute as well as chronic wounds progresses from an alkaline state, to a neutral and then to acidic state, when healing begins. Citric acid has been found to be highly effective in the treatment of a variety of wounds including those caused by bacteria resistant to multiple antibiotics. It has also been reported that citric acid not only controls infections, but also promotes formation of healthy granulation tissue. Considering this, an attempt was made to use 3% citric acid ointment for wound bed preparation for grafting.
Conclusion
In summary, Sugar & Mila has carefully selected citric over lemon juice in their sugar paste formulations primarily due to its consistent acidity, reliability, and skin-safety. It allows for precise pH control, ensuring the end product remains pH-neutral and non-irritating. Lemon juice, while naturally containing citric acid, introduces variability and potential skin irritants that can result in inconsistent, less stable, and more unpredictable formulations.
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