Ta
Tartaric Acid
Tartaric AcidExfoliant
Grape-derived AHA. Mild exfoliant; often appears in multi-acid blends rather than as the lead.
What it does
Tartaric acid is an alpha hydroxy acid found in grapes and wine. As an exfoliant it sits between glycolic and citric in potency at equivalent concentrations. Most often appears in multi-acid AHA blends ('AHA complex') rather than as a stand-alone active. Like other AHAs, increases sun sensitivity.
The evidence, graded
strongAHAs (glycolic, lactic, mandelic) need an acidic pH (typically 3.5-4) to deliver advertised exfoliation. Products with neutral or partially neutralized pH still hydrate but won't drive meaningful keratolysis.Smith 1996 · Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology ↗
expert consensusRetinol and AHAs (glycolic, lactic) can both irritate skin when used the same evening. Most people do better alternating them on different nights.Mukherjee 2006 · Clinical Interventions in Aging ↗
expert consensusAHAs and BHAs can be combined safely in well-formulated products. The 'never mix them' rule is overstated — the real concern is total acid load on the skin barrier, not the chemistry of mixing them.Kornhauser 2010 · Clinical and Cosmetic Investigative Dermatology ↗
Graded per the methodology: strong · moderate · emerging · expert consensus. A weak source on a strong claim gets the weaker label.
Pairs worth knowing
This page is public and indexed on purpose (unlike profiles and drops, which are unlisted) — it’s the citation behind shared ingredient cards, and it should be findable.
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