Sodium Myristate ●
TL;DR. This ingredient functions mainly as an anionic cleansing surfactant and soap structurant, helping lift oil and build a firm, creamy lather in bars and high-pH cleansers.
What does Sodium Myristate do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient functions mainly as an anionic cleansing surfactant and soap structurant, helping lift oil and build a firm, creamy lather in bars and high-pH cleansers.
Is Sodium Myristate clean?
Clean-beauty standards generally do not flag this ingredient as a restricted-list issue, but its alkaline soap profile can feel drying or irritating on sensitive skin. It is more of a tolerance and formulation-context question than a controversy question.
Is Sodium Myristate sustainable?
This material is commonly derived from coconut or palm-kernel fatty acids combined with mineral alkali, so sourcing depends on the fatty-acid supply chain. It is readily biodegradable, with palm-linked traceability as the main sustainability caveat.
Is Sodium Myristate COSMOS-approved?
It is generally compatible with COSMOS-natural and COSMOS-organic products when made from approved natural fatty acids and permitted alkali. From a Green Chemistry view, it scores well for biodegradability and potential renewable feedstocks, with the main limitation being reliance on responsibly sourced tropical oils.
How does Sodium Myristate work chemically?
The molecule is a C14 saturated carboxylate paired with sodium, giving an amphiphilic anionic soap that forms micelles and can react with hard-water calcium and magnesium. It performs best in alkaline systems, commonly around pH 9 to 11, and is typically used as part of a soap blend rather than as the only cleanser.
Last updated 2026-08-17