Ingredient glossary
Fructooligosaccharides
On your shelf ✓What Fructooligosaccharides does for your skin, who it suits, and what to watch for.
INCI: Fructooligosaccharides · Also: Fructo-oligosaccharides
In short: Fructooligosaccharides delivers prebiotic and hydration, suits oily and sensitive skin best, and the evidence behind it is emerging.
- What it does
- Prebiotic, hydration
- Best for
- Oily, Sensitive skin
- Evidence
- Emerging
The Glow take
Nice to have, and nothing to overthink.
Fructooligosaccharides plays a quiet supporting role, rounding out a formula rather than being the reason you buy it.
— Maya
What it does
- prebiotic
- hydration
emerging evidenceIn reconstructed epidermis and culture work, 0.5 to 1 percent short chain fructooligosaccharides fed S. epidermidis while holding back C. acnes and S. aureus, and fermentation products inhibited staph biofilm. The one human acne study mixing FOS with inulin and other actives cannot credit FOS alone. Skin model testing found it non irritating.
Who it's for, and who should skip it
Tends to suit
- sensitive
- oily
Approach with care
- rare allergy
- Clogs poresLow
- Irritation riskLow
How it fits each skin type
- DryNeutral
- CombinationNeutral
- OilySuits
- SensitiveSuits
Take extra care if any of these apply to you: rare allergy.
Where it fits in your routine
Plays well with
Fructooligosaccharides, answered
Is Fructooligosaccharides safe during pregnancy?
Yes. Fructooligosaccharides is considered safe to use during pregnancy and breastfeeding. As with anything, if you are unsure it is worth a quick word with your doctor or midwife.
Who should avoid Fructooligosaccharides?
Approach Fructooligosaccharides with care if any of these apply to you: rare allergy.
What concentration of Fructooligosaccharides actually works?
Its concentration is rarely printed on the label, so use the ingredient list as your clue: near the top third it is likely doing real work, near the bottom it is more of a sprinkle.
Compare Fructooligosaccharides with
- Hyaluronic acid
- Pro-vitamin B5
- Sodium PCA
- Aloe
- Butylene Glycol
- Propanediol
- Betaine
- Trehalose
- Xylitol
- Hydroxyethyl Urea
- Glycereth-26
- Polyglutamic Acid
- Tremella Fuciformis Extract
- Beta-Glucan
- Hydrolyzed Collagen
- Honey
- Pentylene Glycol
- Crosslinked sodium HA
- Propylene Glycol
- Hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid
- Acetylated Hyaluronic Acid
- Hexylene Glycol
Can you mix Fructooligosaccharides with
This, for every label you own
One ingredient is easy. A full label is where it gets confusing. The Ingredient Decoder reads any product and tells you the honest truth, ingredient by ingredient.
Sources & how we reviewed this
- PMID 35690598abstract only, the full text is paywalled
- DOI 10.1111/ics.13020abstract only, the full text is paywalled