TREHALOSE

Description: TREHALOSE — hydration, protective sugar, stabilizes proteins and cell membranes.

All Functions: hydration, protective sugar, stabilizes proteins and cell membranes

Quick Facts:

• Category: humectant

Proven Benefits At A Glance:

• Trehalose is a natural sugar made of two glucose molecules linked together
• It’s used in food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic products for its stabilizing properties
• Research suggests it can help preserve and protect biological molecules
• It’s an approved ingredient in major markets with no significant regulatory barriers
• Scientists are exploring trehalose-based materials like polymers and hydrogels for medical applications

Safety tier is a starting heuristic from regulatory status and comedogenic rating, not a dermatological verdict — see our Terms for the full disclaimer. Research confidence reflects how many real cited studies back this ingredient, not the strength of their findings.

🧪 TREHALOSE

TREHALOSE

CAS Number: 99-20-7

Also Known As: —

Category: humectant

EC Number: 202-739-6

Korean Name: 트레할로오스

alpha-D-Glucopyranoside, alpha-D-glucopyranosyl

TREHALOSE is a humectant ingredient used in skincare formulations.

🌍 Regulatory Status

📊 Comedogenicity

📚 Research & Evidence

🔬 The Science

Trehalose is a nonreducing disaccharide—that is, a sugar composed of two glucose molecules joined by what chemists call an α,α-1,1-glycosidic bond (Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, 2022). What makes trehalose special is its unusual stability and protective capacity. #1: It can stabilize various biological molecules, including proteins, fats, carbohydrates, and volatile compounds, which is why it’s widely used across food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries (Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, 2022). #2: Beyond simple trehalose itself, researchers have developed trehalose-based polymers and nanomaterials—larger structures built with trehalose units—that can serve as protein stabilizers and may help prevent amyloid aggregate formation, a concern in certain disease states (JACS Au, 2022).

These engineered materials often outperform trehalose alone. #3: Trehalose appears in nature across many organisms—bacteria, fungi, insects, plants, and invertebrates—where it plays protective roles during stress and inanimation periods (Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2011; Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, 2022). #4: Emerging research suggests dietary trehalose may influence glucose homeostasis, though the sources note this as an area of ongoing investigation rather than an established benefit (Nutrients, 2023). The ingredient is already present in several commercial therapeutic products and is approved globally, meaning there are no major regulatory obstacles to its use in skincare formulations (Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2011).

💧 Skin Type Compatibility

⚠️ Don’t Combine With

🧴 Products Containing TREHALOSE

• caremare RHODOPHYTA ALOE VERA SHIELD DAY CREAM
• caremare Rodophyta Aloe Vera Balancing Face Wash
• Fancl Core effector
• Laab MEN Multi-Booster Ultralekki krem nawilżająco-kojący
• Elmiplant Skin Moisture
• Farmatodo Mascarilla hidratante nocturna
• Dove dove
• Unilever, Dove Shampoo ritual de crecimiento
• queen queen
• Advance Techniques Intense Repair Shampoo
• Rogé Cavaillès Nutrissance Crème mains Nourrissante
• Les Cosmetiques Loción hidratante after sun sun ultimate
• Les Cosmetiques Protector solar facial antiedad spf 50+ sun ultimate
• MAC Studio Radiance 24HR Luminous Lift Concealer NC11
• Unilever, Timotei Masque Réparation Miraculeuse – Timotei
• Unilever, Timotei Timotei Nutrition Intense Shampoing Femme à l’Huile d’Avocat 100% d’origine naturelle Cheveux Secs Lot de 6x300ml
• Unilever, Timotei Timotei sh nrst 300ml
• Unilever, Timotei Timotei Richesse Suprême Après Shampoing Femme Enrichie à l’Huile de Buriti Cheveux Très Secs
• UNILEVER NORGE AS Dove Shampoo Restoring Ritual 250ml
• UNILEVER NORGE AS Dove Balsam Restoring Ritual 200ml

📄 Related Research

Matched by search — not necessarily verified support for every statement above.

• Vinciguerra D et al. (2022). Synthesis and Application of Trehalose Materials. JACS Au.
• Chen A et al. (2022). Trehalose and its applications in the food industry. Compr Rev Food Sci Food Saf.
• Chen A et al. (2023). Dietary Trehalose as a Bioactive Nutrient. Nutrients.
• Ohtake S et al. (2011). Trehalose: current use and future applications. J Pharm Sci.
• Cai X et al. (2018). Biotechnical production of trehalose through the trehalose synthase pathway: current status and future prospects. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol.