INCI Name
Sodium Bicarbonate
Botanical Name
N/A — inorganic mineral salt (commonly occurs as the mineral nahcolite).
Sodium bicarbonate is an inorganic mineral salt used in cosmetics as a buffering/pH-adjusting agent, mild abrasive, and deodorant component. It is widely used in rinse-off formats (e.g., cleansers, powders, bath fizzers) and sometimes in deodorant systems. Because it is alkaline, formulas should be designed to maintain a skin-compatible finished pH—especially for leave-on use—to help minimize irritation potential.
Abrasive/scrub; buffering (pH adjuster/alkalizer); deodorant; oral-care agent; skin protecting (per CosIng functions list).
Product Type(s):
Typical Usage Range:
q.s. to adjust pH upward (use minimal effective amount); higher loadings are typical only in rinse-off powders/fizzing bath products. For leave-on products, avoid alkaline finished pH and potential irritation. Follow in-house PET/HRIPT as needed.
Used to adjust alkalinity and provide mild physical scrub action in rinse-off products; commonly incorporated in bath/fizzing powders and some deodorant formats (non-medical).
Primary Components:
Sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO₃).
Alkaline; higher concentrations and/or leave-on use may irritate skin or eyes; best suited to rinse-off formats and formulations buffered near skin-friendly pH. Patch test where relevant.
Preferred Extraction Method:
Mineral source; lab-refined/processed to cosmetic grade.
Specify cosmetic-grade, finely milled powder; request COA with heavy-metal specs; confirm intended role (abrasive vs. pH adjuster) and compatibility with preservative system/pH.
Explore additional safety and regulatory data from trusted external sources:
*The ingredient details on this page are intended for general educational use and should not be considered exhaustive. Additional properties, uses, or safety considerations may be available from other sources. Root & Ritual Apothecary is not affiliated with Cosmetics Info, Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR), INCIDecoder, SkinSafe, EWG Skin Deep, or SpecialChem. External links are provided solely for informational purposes; Root & Ritual does not control or guarantee the accuracy, methodology, or conclusions of third-party sources, including consumer rating systems such as EWG.
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