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be sonatural, Face masks, read from the back

Anhydroxylitol

Well toleratedHumectanthumectantskin conditioning

No meaningful concern for most people; irritation is possible but rare.

What it is

Anhydroxylitol is xylitol with a water molecule removed, which changes how it interacts with water in the skin. It is essentially never used alone; it appears as one third of a well-known plant-derived hydrating blend with xylitol and xylitylglucoside, sold to formulators as a single system.

What it does well

  • Contributes to the hydrating effect of the xylitol blend

    The blend as a whole is marketed for improving the skin's water reserves and flow. Published independent evidence for anhydroxylitol on its own is scarce; most data comes from the ingredient supplier.

    Limited evidence

Worth knowing

  • Little independent evidence, though no safety signals

    There are no recognised safety concerns and no reports of it being a sensitiser. The gap is in efficacy evidence rather than safety.

    Matters most toAnyone choosing a product specifically for this ingredient.

Where the EU stands

No specific restriction

Permitted in EU cosmetics with no concentration limit. It is not listed in the banned, restricted or preservative annexes of the Cosmetics Regulation.

Masks that contain Anhydroxylitol