Sodiumbenzoate ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is a preservative, used mainly to suppress bacteria, yeast, and mold in water-containing formulas. It performs best in acidic systems, so it is common in cleansers, toners, creams, and hair care.
What does Sodiumbenzoate do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is a preservative, used mainly to suppress bacteria, yeast, and mold in water-containing formulas. It performs best in acidic systems, so it is common in cleansers, toners, creams, and hair care.
Is Sodiumbenzoate clean?
Clean-beauty programs generally accept it as a low-use preservative with a long safety record. Sensitivity is uncommon, though it can be more noticeable on very reactive skin in low-pH formulas.
Is Sodiumbenzoate sustainable?
It is usually made from petrochemical or nature-identical feedstocks, rather than directly farmed plant material. It is water soluble, not expected to bioaccumulate, and is considered readily biodegradable under typical wastewater conditions.
Is Sodiumbenzoate COSMOS-approved?
It is permitted under COSMOS-natural and COSMOS-organic as an allowed preservative, with use-level and formula-context limits. Green Chemistry fit is moderate to good: efficient, low-dose preservation and biodegradability are positives, while feedstock is often fossil-derived.
How does Sodiumbenzoate work chemically?
The molecule is a small aromatic carboxylate salt that preserves mainly after conversion to its uncharged acid form in acidic formulas, with best activity below about pH 5.5. Typical cosmetic use is about 0.2 to 1.0%, and formulators watch pH, electrolyte load, and compatibility with cationic systems.
Last updated 2026-05-15