Sodium stearate

• Derived from: coconut
• Pronunciation: \ˈsō-dē-əm\ \ˌstēr-ate\
• Type: Naturally-derived

What Is Sodium stearate?

Sodium stearate is white powder, liquid or pellet with a soapy feel.^[1] It is derived from coconuts.

What Does Sodium stearate Do in Our products?

Sodium stearate is a surfactant, cleanser, emulsifier and viscosity controller.^[2,3,4,5] It is often found in deodorant, toothpaste, soap, makeup, body wash, facial cleanser, shampoo, hair coloring, and other personal care products.^[6,7,8] It dissolves slowly in cold water.^[9]

Why Puracy Uses Sodium stearate

We use sodium stearate as a cleansing agent. The Environmental Protection Agency has placed the ingredient on its Safer Chemical Ingredients List.^[11] The Cosmetic Ingredients Review has deemed the ingredient as safe for use in cosmetics when formulated to be nonirritating and nonsensitizing.^[12] Whole Foods has deemed the ingredient acceptable in its body care and cleaning product quality standards.^[13,14]

How Sodium stearate Is Made

Sodium stearate is made by reacting stearic acid with sodium hydroxide.^[10]

Certifications

Sources

[1] U.S. National Library of Medicine
[2] U.S. National Library of Medicine
[3] European Commission
[4] Environmental Working Group
[5] Personal Care Council
[6] U.S. National Library of Medicine
[7] Environmental Working Group
[8] Cosmeticsinfo.org
[9] U.S. National Library of Medicine
[10] U.S. National Library of Medicine
[11] Environmental Protection Agency
[12] Personal Care Council
[13] Whole Foods Market
[14] Whole Foods Market