Sodium Palmitate

Sodium Palmitate is the sodium salt of palmitic acid, a long-chain fatty acid, and acts as an anionic surfactant. It's used in traditional bar soaps for firm structure and cleansing lather, and occasionally as a co-surfactant in wash-off products.
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Ingredient Snapshot

Overview
A soap-forming ingredient that helps bars hold shape and lather.
Category
Cleansing
Type
Surfactant

Ingredient Ratings

Overall Rating

Fair

Comedogenic Risk

None

Skin Benefits

It helps remove dirt and excess sebum while contributing to a firm, long-lasting bar format, though it may feel more stripping on dry or sensitive skin depending on concentration and blend.

Uses In Skincare & Cosmetics

It's widely found in traditional soap bars and some foaming cleansers, often paired with other surfactants to balance feel and hardness.

Comedogenic Rating

This ingredient is not typically evaluated for comedogenicity, and no standardized rating is available.

Safety

It can contribute to dryness or tightness due to its higher pH; reduce use if irritation appears and avoid eye contact. It's generally safe in rinse-off formats when properly formulated. No known specific cosmetic regulatory restrictions apply under typical use.

Is Sodium Palmitate a Good Ingredient?

It rates Fair: it's effective for bar hardness and oil removal, but as an alkaline soap-type surfactant it can feel stripping and may irritate dry or sensitive skin. Performance and tolerability depend a lot on the blend, superfatting, and overall formula pH.

Products with Sodium Palmitate

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