Sodium Hydroxide

Sodium Hydroxide

9.0

Ingredient Info

Sodium Hydroxide is a strong alkaline chemical used in skincare products primarily as a pH buffer to neutralize acids and adjust the product's pH to safe levels for skin. It is not an active skincare ingredient and appears only in trace amounts in finished products.



Potential concerns

  • In concentrated form, sodium hydroxide is caustic and can cause severe chemical burns; however, in cosmetic products it is diluted and pH-buffered to safe levels
  • Undiluted or highly concentrated sodium hydroxide should never contact skin directly

Science: The provided research discusses sodium hydroxide only in a specialized medical context (10% solution for surgical cauterization of ingrown toenails), which is not relevant to cosmetic skincare use. In properly formulated skincare products, sodium hydroxide is used in minimal concentrations solely for pH adjustment and is considered safe by regulatory bodies including the FDA and EU.



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