Ingredient Spotlight: Ichthyol & Lactic Acid

Ingredient Spotlight · Cosmetic Active

Ichthyol & Lactic Acid

The SOS blemish duo. Born from rock, ichthyol purifies and calms; lactic acid exfoliates gently: together, they target blemishes without aggression.

The portrait of a rare mineral active, paired with the gentlest AHA.

PurifyingBlemish CareSoothingGentle ExfoliantHealing
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Common name
Ichthyol, ichthammol, ammonium bituminosulfonate.
INCI name
Ammonium Bituminosulfonate; paired with Lactic Acid.
Family, type
Mineral derivative of an oil shale rock; purifying active.
Found in nature
Oil shale from the Tyrolean Alps, rich in 200-million-year-old marine fossils, mined for dermatology since the 19th century.
How it's obtained
Dry distillation of the rock, sulfonation, then neutralization with ammonia to obtain purified ichthyol.
Typical concentration
0.5% to 2% in cosmetics (up to 10% in dermatological use); lactic acid added at a low dose.
Organoleptic properties
Appearance: brown-black, very viscous liquid; Scent: characteristic, sulfurous, masked in the formula.
Physical characteristics
Water-soluble; organosulfur compound rich in organic sulfur; soothing and mildly purifying, used in dermatology for over a century1,2.
Benefits
Purifying, soothing, calming, healing, gentle exfoliation (with lactic acid), sebum-regulating.
Cosmetic indications
Blemish-prone skin, blackheads, clogged pores; occasional breakouts; combination to oily skin.

Did you know?A little history

In the 19th century, Tyrolean pharmacists noticed that the black shale outcropping in the Alps, once distilled, produced an oil with soothing virtues for skin problems.

Ichthyol, whose name comes from the Greek ikhthus, fish, a reference to the rock's marine fossils, became a classic of European dermatology, used for more than 130 years for blemishes and irritation1.

Yon-Ka pairs it with lactic acid in Juvenil and the SOS Spot Roll-On: one purifies and calms, the other exfoliates without irritating, for targeted blemish care.

General useCaring for blemish-prone skin

A blemish starts with a clogged pore that becomes inflamed. The gentlest strategy combines three actions: purify without aggression, calm the redness, and exfoliate just enough to unclog without weakening the skin.

Ichthyol without irritation: unlike some drying blemish actives, ichthyol has a soothing profile, which makes it suitable even for areas already irritated by a breakout.

Cosmetic useTheir properties on skin

  • PurifyingIchthyol helps purify clogged pores and keep skin clear1.
  • SoothingA recognized calming active, it reduces the redness and swelling of a blemish2.
  • Gentle exfoliantThe added lactic acid gently unclogs pores, without aggression.
  • HealingIt supports skin repair after a blemish.
  • Sebum-regulatingIt helps regulate excess sebum in affected areas.
  • TargetedIts concentrated texture allows precise, local SOS application.

FormulationIchthyol at Yon-Ka

Ichthyol + lactic acid

Ammonium Bituminosulfonate + Lactic Acid

The purifying-exfoliating duo, dosed for targeted action: as an all-over serum in Juvenil, and as a spot treatment in the SOS Spot Roll-On, applied directly to the blemish.

Juvenil · SOS Spot Roll-On

In cosmeticsUses

  • All-over blemish serums;
  • Spot care in roll-on or pen form, for local application;
  • A complement to a purifying routine (Quintessence, burdock).

The Yon-Ka approach

We prefer a gentle mineral active to an aggressive exfoliant. In Juvenil, ichthyol and lactic acid join Quintessence for all-over action; the SOS Spot Roll-On lets you target a single blemish without drying out the rest of the face.

The science of the active, the sensoriality of the plant.

How to useAdding them to your ritual

  1. In the evening, all over
    Juvenil over the entire face after Lotion Yon-Ka PNG.
  2. As an SOS
    SOS Spot Roll-On directly on the blemish, morning and evening, until it clears.
  3. In the morning
    SPF 50+ Mineral Fluid if you'll be in the sun: exfoliated skin is more sensitive to UV.

Good to knowStorage and precautions

A stable active; close your bottles tightly. Raw ichthyol's characteristic scent is masked in our formulas.

Well tolerated, including on sensitive or recently irritated areas. For persistent or inflamed breakouts, see a dermatologist. Not recommended for prolonged use on very reactive skin without professional advice.

Go furtherSources

  1. Nenoff P., Reinel D., Krüger C. et al. [Ichthyol® pale und Ichthyol® dunkel – überprüft und aktualisiert]. Aktuelle Dermatologie, 2013; 39(01/02). PubMed
  2. PubMed search on ammonium bituminosulfonate and its soothing properties. PubMed
  3. COSMILE Europe (Cosmetics Europe), cosmetic ingredient database, Ammonium Bituminosulfonate and Lactic Acid. cosmileeurope.eu
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Our ichthyol treatments

The Yon-Ka formulas where ichthyol and lactic acid are key ingredients.

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