Potassium Undecylenate

AKA “6159-41-7, Undecylenic acid, potassium salt, 768M7EX694, UNII-768M7EX694, DTXSID50210591, RefChem:175641, DTXCID80133082, POTASSIUM UNDECYLENATE [INCI], 662-949-2”

Preservative

Ingredient Facts

Potassium undecylenate

AKA: 6159-41-7, Undecylenic acid, Potassium salt, 768M7EX694, UNII-768M7EX694, DTXSID50210591, RefChem:175641, DTXCID80133082, POTASSIUM UNDECYLENATE [INCI], 662-949-2

Preservative · Cleansing · EWG: 4

Synthetic

Preservative

Cleanser

Emulsifier

Plant Oil

Not Clean

Undecylenic acid, potassium salt

Formula

C11H19KO2

Mol. Weight

222.37

CAS #

6159-41-7

Form

Powder

See origin →

Functions

Preservative

Keeps your product from growing bacteria, mold, or yeast. Without these, that jar of cream becomes a petri dish in about a week.

Cleansing

Makes oil and water mix so dirt, makeup, and sunscreen can actually be washed away. The reason your face wash foams.

Emulsifying

Forces oil and water to stay mixed instead of separating into layers. The unsung hero holding your lotion together.

Preserves Formula

Cleansing Surfactant

Emulsifier

Lifts away dirt and oil

Prevents microbial growth

Mixes oil and water

Traditional Use

Undecylenic acid, derived from castor oil, was first isolated in the 1940s and developed as an antifungal agent. Potassium undecylenate represents the salt form created to improve stability and efficacy in modern skincare and antifungal products.