Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is used as a preservative to help control bacteria, yeast, and mold in water-based personal care formulas. It is most often found in rinse-off products, wipes, and some emulsions where broad antimicrobial coverage is needed.
What does Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is used as a preservative to help control bacteria, yeast, and mold in water-based personal care formulas. It is most often found in rinse-off products, wipes, and some emulsions where broad antimicrobial coverage is needed.
Is Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate clean?
From a clean-beauty perspective, it has significant friction because it functions as a formaldehyde-releasing preservative. Many clean standards and retailer restricted lists flag this preservative class, especially for leave-on products and sensitive-skin positioning.
Is Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate sustainable?
This material is synthetic and is typically made through conventional chemical processing rather than direct renewable sourcing. Its main sustainability concern is not feedstock scarcity, but its formaldehyde-release profile and weaker alignment with low-concern preservative choices.
Is Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate COSMOS-approved?
It is not permitted under COSMOS-natural or COSMOS-organic standards as a cosmetic preservative. Its fit with Green Chemistry is limited because the preservative mechanism relies on a reactive formaldehyde equilibrium rather than a readily preferred biodegradable, low-concern system.
How does Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate work chemically?
The molecule is an N-hydroxymethyl amino acid salt, and its antimicrobial performance is linked to equilibrium release of formaldehyde in the finished formula. Typical use levels are about 0.1% to 0.5%, with stability influenced by pH, heat, and storage conditions.
Last updated 2026-05-13