Common Name(s): Acetyl mannosylerythritol lipid (mel-a),most surface-active natural compound,ultra-efficient yeast biosurfactant

CAS Number: N/a

DESCRIPTION

What It Does: Provides complete micellar cleansing at 0.0025 mg/ml (nearly 1000x lower concentration than sds), inhibits malassezia and c. albicans through lipid membrane disruption, and conditions skin through the mannosylerythritol sugar head group's h-bonding with skin surface proteins.

Why It's Used: Mel-a's cmc 0.0025 mg/ml is the lowest of any commercially produced cosmetic surfactant — at this extreme efficiency, a complete cleansing formulation requires only 0.1-0.5% active, reducing irritation potential to near-zero while achieving full cleansing performance.

How It Works: Mel-a (2,3-diacyl-4-o-beta-mannosyl-d-erythritol + acetyl) achieves ultra-low cmc from optimal amphiphilic geometry: bulky mannosylerythritol head group plus two c8-c10 chains plus acetyl group position the critical packing parameter exactly for spherical micelle formation. the acetyl group at c4 reduces cmc by an order of magnitude versus non-acetylated mel-b through additional hydrophobic packing energy.

Typically Found In: Ultra-mild cleansers,anti-dandruff,luxury natural care

TECHNICAL DETAILS

Primary Category: Active ingredient – skin microbiome support

Secondary Functions: Microbiome balance,prebiotic effect

Application Areas:

Typical Concentration Range: 0.05%–3%

SOURCING & ETHICS

Vegan Status: Yes

Halal Status: Yes

Source Notes: Fermentation-derived or plant-extracted.

SKIN COMPATIBILITY

Irritancy Rating: 1/5 – very low

Comedogenicity Rating: 0/5 – non-comedogenic

Sensitivity Concerns: Non-irritating; beneficial for sensitive skin.

Safe for Sensitive Skin: Yes

SAFETY & COMPATIBILITY

Safety Profile: Excellent safety profile. ewg score: 1.

Works Well With: Ceramides,niacinamide,soothing actives

Avoid Combining With: No significant incompatibilities

SCIENTIFIC NOTE

Mel-a production: pseudozyma tsukubaensis converts vegetable oil at ~80% conversion efficiency to mel-a at industrial fermentation titres 30-50 g/l — economically viable for premium natural cosmetics despite the complex glycolipid biosynthesis pathway.

Last Verified: Cosing database,mel-a mannosylerythritol lipid lowest cmc biosurfactant review

Primary Sources: 2026-03-12