Appearance: Off-White Glossy Powder Melting Point: 92-95 °C Solubility: Water and alcohol Loss on Drying: 2% Maximum Heavy Metals (Pb): 20 ppm Maximum Assay (HPLC): 95% Min. CTFA/INCI Name: Kojic Acid Chemical Name: Kojic Acid (5-hydroxy-2-hydroxymethyl-4-pyrone) is a by-product in the fermentation process of malting rice. Mild inhibitor of the formation of pigment in plant and animal tissues, used also to preserve or change colors in cosmetics. Synonym: Kojic Acid Molecular Formula: C38H66O6 Molecular Weight: 618.9 Applications: Skin care, sun care, skin whitening and lightening, treatment for pigmentary disorders such as age spots, etc. Use Level: 1-5%, add to warm to hot water phase of formula, can be combined with other skin lighteners. Stability: at pH between 3-10 Storage Conditions: Store at room temperature in a cool and dry place
Shelf Life and Storage Information for Our Products and Ingredients
Finished Products - generally don't need to be refrigerated as they are preserved, but you can refrigerate them to extend their shelf life. The shelf life for most products is 9-12 months. Vitamin C Serum(s) and VitaResurface products should continually be refrigerated to extend their shelf life. Sample Sizes - do have a shorter shelf life (generally 3-6 months), and items in jars can dry up quicker than this if the lid is not tightened well enough (Vitamin C Serums - use within 90 days).
Please keep your products out of humidity, heat, direct light and in a dark cabinet when possible
Exfoliating Acid - products have a shelf life of 9-12 months. The only things we don't suggest refrigerating are the Mandelic Acid Serums or Salicylic Acid Serums, as they can crystallize in the refrigerator. If this happens, you can set the product into a hot water bath to see if the crystals will dissolve.
Additional Items That Require Refrigeration and/or Kept in the Dark
Hydrosols and Distillates - remove 1 ounce of hydrosol and add it into a separate,sterilized spray bottle and spritzer. Keep the larger bottle in the refrigerator. Carrier and Exotic Oils - generally, you can refrigerate all carrier oils, although some very rich oils will solidify. This is fine. All you have to do is take it out, warm it up at room temperature and it should liquefy. If not, set the bottle in a hot water bath and occasionally shake the bottle, which will hopefully turn into a liquid. There are some oils with a super long shelf life, like Coconut Cream and Jojoba Oil.
Refrigeration of the following ingredients is not necessary, but it won't hurt
Essential Oils - essential oils are best stored in a cool, dark place. Co2 Extracts - these should continually be refrigerated. Butters - we suggest refrigerating our "skincare" butters. You can remove what you need and keep the rest in the fridge. Clays - keep in a dry, dark place. Shelf life is at least 2 years. Herbs - all herbs (whole or ground) should be kept in a dark, cool and dry location. Herbal (liquid) Extracts - these are created using grain alcohol. The alcohol pulls the constituents (properties) from each herb - root, trunk, leaves, and flowers. They have a shelf life of 3-5 years. They can be stored in the refrigerator or a dark, dry place. Other Raw Ingredients - i.e., Sodium PCA, Honeyquat, Oat Beta Glucan, etc. will all have a different shelf life.