SummaryCapillary electrophoresis with indirect UV detection at 254 nm was applied to simultaneous determination of ~ 20% of azelaic acid and ~ 0.1% of sorbic acid in AKNOREN cream. The acids were separated in fused silica capillary (45 cm x 50 gm) at 30 kV. Optimised background electrolyte was 30 mM benzoate buffer (pH ~ 6, adjusted with TRIS) containing 7 mM 13-cyclodextrin and 5% of methanol; internal standard was 2-hydroxyisobutyric acid (HIBA). Rectilinear calibration ranges were 0.4-4 mg mL 1 for azelaic acid and 2-20 gg mL 1 for sorbic acid and the recoveries were 97.2 -100.5%. A single analysis took < 15 min.