What is it?
A sugar alcohol with a mildly sweet taste. It occurs naturally, but commercial sorbitol is made by hydrogenating glucose. In cosmetics and personal care products it attracts and holds water, acting as a humectant that helps keep skin moist and products from drying out. It is used in moisturizers, bath soaps and, at high levels, toothpaste. It is also a common sugar-free sweetener and food ingredient.
Key information
- The CIR Expert Panel concluded in 2025 that sorbitol is safe in cosmetics in the present practices of use and concentration.
- It was reported in 1,976 cosmetic products, most often moisturizers, face and neck products, and bath soaps.
- Toothpaste can contain up to 70 percent sorbitol.
- The FDA lists sorbitol as generally recognized as safe (GRAS) in food; foods that could supply 50 grams a day must warn that excess consumption may have a laxative effect.
More information
Sorbitol is a six-carbon sugar alcohol and a stereoisomer of mannitol, meaning the two differ only in how their atoms are arranged in space. Most commercial sorbitol is made by hydrogenating a glucose solution with a nickel or ruthenium catalyst; the catalyst is then filtered out and the sorbitol purified with ion exchange and activated charcoal.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel assessed sorbitol together with mannitol and xylitol and, in a report published in 2025, concluded that these sugar alcohols are safe in cosmetics in the present practices of use and concentration. Sorbitol had the most uses of the three, 1,976 products in 2019 FDA data, and the highest concentration, up to 70 percent in toothpaste. Because all three are widely eaten, and there are no clinical reports of adverse effects from handling or eating them, the panel did not require further systemic toxicity or irritation data. A negative sensitization test on mannitol supported its conclusion for the group.
The best-known effect of sorbitol comes from eating large amounts: it can act as a laxative. That is why U.S. rules require foods likely to supply 50 grams a day to carry the statement “Excess consumption may have a laxative effect.” This concerns eating large amounts, not skin contact.
On labels, sorbitol may appear on its own or as sorbitol solution. Sorbitan esters, such as sorbitan olivate, are different ingredients.
Sources: Cosmetic Ingredient Review: Safety assessment of mannitol, sorbitol, and xylitol as used in cosmetics (International Journal of Toxicology, 2025); 21 CFR 184.1835: Sorbitol (via Cornell LII); European Commission CosIng: Sorbitol
