MENTHYL LACTATE
Menthyl Lactate is an ester made of a menthyl portion and a lactate portion. Chemical databases identify one form as l-menthyl l-lactate; it is a defined molecule, rather than another name for menthol.
MENTHYL LACTATE: what it is
Menthyl Lactate is an ester made of a menthyl portion and a lactate portion. Chemical databases identify one form as l-menthyl l-lactate; it is a defined molecule, rather than another name for menthol.
Its name resembles menthol because the two share a menthyl portion, but Menthyl Lactate is a different compound. That distinction is useful when comparing labels: a search limited to “menthol” can miss products formulated for a fragrant, fresh impression with Menthyl Lactate.
MENTHYL LACTATE: what it does in cosmetics
In cosmetics, Menthyl Lactate is used for fragrance and a refreshing sensation during application. In everyday terms, it can contribute to a product's scent and to the fresh feeling noticed on skin, the scalp or lips, depending on the product type.
That refreshing feeling is a sensory feature of use; it does not make the ingredient a treatment for acne, dark spots, wrinkles or skin disease. A published safety assessment concerns l-menthyl l-lactate as a fragrance ingredient, not a trial showing a cosmetic benefit for everyone using any finished product.
Products containing this ingredient
See which products include it and the name used in each composition.
