For flavor, oral care, confectionery, beverage and personal care formulations, the best cooling ingredient often depends on the finished product type and the sensory result the formula needs to achieve.
This guide is intended as a practical selection framework. The final cooling ingredient, dosage and regulatory suitability should be confirmed through application testing and destination market requirements.
A good cooling system should match the target sensory experience of the finished product. Before selecting a cooling ingredient, formulators usually consider several practical factors.
• Cooling onset: how quickly the cooling sensation appears
• Cooling intensity: how strong the cooling effect feels
• Cooling duration: how long the cooling sensation remains
• Mint impact: whether the ingredient changes the original flavor direction
• Smoothness: whether the cooling effect feels sharp, clean, soft or balanced
• Solubility: whether the ingredient is suitable for the formula base
• Application type: food, oral care, beverage, personal care or flavor system
• Regulatory suitability: whether the final application meets local market requirements
In many formulations, the best option is not always a single cooling ingredient. A blended cooling system may help balance fast onset, long duration and comfortable after-feel.
Each cooling ingredient has its own sensory role. Understanding these roles helps formulators select the right ingredient or build a more balanced cooling system.
WS-23
WS-23 cooling agent is often selected for clean, direct and low-odor cooling. It is suitable when the formulation needs a clear cooling impact without strong mint character.
WS-12
WS-12 cooling agent is commonly evaluated when longer cooling duration is required. It can be useful in products where cooling persistence and after-feel are more important than immediate intensity.
Menthyl Lactate
Menthyl Lactate cooling agent provides a mild and comfortable cooling sensation. It is often considered in oral care, personal care and selected flavor systems where a softer cooling profile is preferred.
L-Monomenthyl Glutarate
L-Monomenthyl Glutarate cooling ingredient may be selected for smooth, persistent and lower mint-impact cooling systems. It can help support refined cooling profiles in flavor and oral care applications.
Menthyl PCA
Menthyl PCA cooling ingredient is mainly positioned for personal care formulations where mild cooling, refreshing skin feel and skin conditioning positioning are important.
In practice, cooling ingredient selection should be adjusted according to the application. The same ingredient may perform differently in chewing gum, beverages, oral care products or personal care formulations.
For beverage and flavor systems, formulators usually focus on flavor compatibility, cooling clarity and solubility. WS-23 is often evaluated when clean and direct cooling is desired, while other cooling ingredients may be used to adjust duration or smoothness.
Chewing gum, hard candy and mint confectionery often require both immediate cooling and lasting freshness. WS-23 may support quick cooling impact, while WS-12 and L-Monomenthyl Glutarate may help extend the cooling perception and improve sensory balance.
Toothpaste, mouthwash and breath freshening products often need a clean and lasting fresh sensation. WS-12, Menthyl Lactate and L-Monomenthyl Glutarate may be evaluated when longer freshness, comfort and smoother cooling are preferred.
For body lotion, after-sun gel, shower gel, foot cream, deodorant and aftershave balm, cooling comfort and skin feel are especially important. Menthyl PCA and Menthyl Lactate may be considered when mild cooling and personal care sensory performance are required.
Some formulations need more than one cooling ingredient. A blended cooling system may help create a more complete sensory profile by combining fast onset, stronger impact, longer duration and smoother after-feel.
For example, a formulation may use WS-23 to provide clean and direct cooling, WS-12 to extend the cooling duration, and Menthyl Lactate or L-Monomenthyl Glutarate to improve comfort and smoothness. In personal care formulations, Menthyl PCA may be evaluated when mild cooling and refreshing skin feel are preferred.
The final combination should always be tested in the actual product formula, because cooling performance can be influenced by the base, flavor system, fragrance, processing method, dosage and finished product format.
Before choosing a cooling ingredient for commercial production, formulators should conduct small-scale evaluation in the actual application system.
• Start with lab-scale sensory evaluation
• Compare single cooling ingredients and blended cooling systems
• Evaluate cooling onset, intensity, duration and after-feel
• Check solubility and formula compatibility
• Confirm whether the ingredient affects the main flavor or fragrance direction
• Evaluate performance in the finished product format
• Confirm use level, labeling and regulatory suitability by destination market
This process helps avoid selecting a cooling ingredient only by name or cooling strength. The most suitable option should match the complete sensory and technical requirements of the finished product.
For long-lasting cooling design in flavor and oral care products, read our guide on long-lasting cooling sensation in flavor and oral care products.
For cosmetic and personal care applications, read our guide on mild cooling sensation in personal care formulations.
There is no single cooling ingredient that fits every formula. The choice depends on the target application and the expected sensory profile.
Choose WS-23 when clean, direct and low-odor cooling is needed.
Choose WS-12 when longer cooling duration and cooling persistence are required.
Choose Menthyl Lactate when a mild and comfortable cooling sensation is preferred.
Choose L-Monomenthyl Glutarate when the formula needs smooth, persistent and lower mint-impact cooling.
Choose Menthyl PCA when the application is personal care oriented and requires mild cooling, refreshing skin feel and skin conditioning positioning.
For product-specific information, you may review the following cooling ingredient pages:
WS-23 is often evaluated when clean, direct and low-odor cooling is desired. The final choice should be tested according to the application and formula base.
WS-12 and L-Monomenthyl Glutarate may be considered when longer cooling duration or persistent freshness is required. Their performance should be evaluated in the finished formula.
Menthyl PCA and Menthyl Lactate are often evaluated in personal care applications where mild cooling, comfort and skin feel are important. Suitability should be confirmed according to the finished product and local regulatory requirements.
Yes. Cooling ingredients may be combined to balance onset, intensity, duration, smoothness and after-feel. A blended cooling system should be tested in the actual formulation before commercial use.
TAIMA can provide cooling ingredient information, samples and technical document support for formulation evaluation. Contact us to discuss suitable cooling ingredient options for your application.
Contact us for price, sample, MOQ and OEM support.
✔ Reply within 12 hours
Get Quote on WhatsApp Request SampleWhatsApp: +86 15619038117
Email: alina@taimacn.com
Alina 