Lactose is a disaccharide sugar derived from milk, used in skincare primarily as a humectant and mild moisturizing agent that helps attract and retain water in the stratum corneum. It may also serve as a bulking agent or carrier in certain formulations.
| Reported effect | How often | Notes |
|---|---|---|
Mild skin irritation | Rare | Generally well tolerated; transient redness or stinging reported infrequently in sensitive individuals. |
Allergic contact dermatitis | Very rare | Isolated case reports; cross-reactivity in milk-allergic individuals is theoretically possible but uncommon topically. |
Comedogenicity | Rare | Low comedogenic potential; clogged pores rarely attributed to lactose itself. |
Frequencies reflect typical cosmetic use reported in the literature, not a guarantee for your skin.