Trehalose is a sugar which is found actually in cactus plants. It is this sugar which protects cactus from drying in deserts and retaining water as trehalose has a property of retaining water. This ingredient is used in cosmetics preparation for dry skin. Trehalose protects dry skin and retains moisture of the skin.

Trehalose (or mycose) is a disaccharide composed of two glucose residues. The glucose residues are linked by an α 1→4 glycosidic bond.

Maltose, Trehalose and Cellobiose are all formed solely from glucose molecules.

Less common disaccharides of glucose include:

Kojibiose, Nigerose, Isomaltose, β,β-Trehalose, α,β-Trehalose, Sophorose, Laminaribiose and Gentiobiose.

5 monomers sucrose, lactose, maltose, trehalose, cellobios.

Examples: maltose and trehalose.