Page 259 - Cosmetology

suspending agent; also used as a thickening agent.

sodium ascorbate. See ascorbic acid.

sodium benzoate. A salt of benzoic acid used as a preservative. See preservatives.

sodium bisulfite. Used in acid-type permanent waves to alter the shape of hair. It is less damaging than
alkaline permanent waves, but it also has limitations regarding how much change it can effect in hair. It can
be a skin irritant.

sodium borate. See borates.

sodium C14-16 olefin sulfate. Can be derived from coconut. Used primarily as a detergent cleansing
agent, but is considered potentially drying and irritating for skin. See surfactant.

sodium carbonate. An absorbent salt used in cosmetics; it can also be a skin irritant.

sodium carboxymethyl beta-glucan. Used as a thickening agent. For additional functions, see beta-
glucan.

sodium chloride. Common table salt. Used primarily as a binding agent in skin-care products and
occasionally as an abrasive in scrub products.

Sodium chondroitin sulfate. Derived from natural mucopolysaccharides, it functions as a skin conditioning
agent and helps reinforce skin’s intercellular matrix.

Sodium citrate. Primarily used to control the pH level of a product, this ingredient also has antioxidant and
preservative properties.

sodium cocoate. Used as a cleansing agent primarily in soaps. It can be drying and irritating for skin.

sodium cocoyl isethionate. Derived from coconut; it is a mild detergent cleansing agent. See surfactant.

sodium dehydroacetate. An organic salt used as a preservative. See preservatives.

sodium hyaluronate. See hyaluronic acid.

sodium hydroxide. Also known as lye, it’s a highly alkaline ingredient used in small amounts in cosmetics
to modulate the pH of a product. It is also used as a cleansing agent in some cleansers. In higher
concentrations it is a significant skin irritant.

sodium hydroxymethylglycinate. Derived from amino acids and used as a skin- and hair-conditioning
agent, and to a lesser extent as a preservative.

sodium lactate. The sodium salt of lactic acid. Used primarily as a water-binding and buffering agent (to
adjust a product’s pH value).

sodium laureth sulfate. Can be derived from coconut; it is used primarily as a detergent cleansing agent. It
is considered gentle and effective. See surfactant and Paula's article, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and Sodium
Laureth Sulfate.

sodium laureth-13 carboxylate. Used primarily as a detergent cleansing agent. See surfactant.

sodium lauroamphoacetate. Mild surfactant also employed as a lather agent. See surfactant.

Sodium lauroyl lactylate. Used as an emulsifier and mild thickening agent in cosmetics. In higher
concentrations, it functions as a surfactant. See surfactant.

sodium lauroyl sarcosinate. Surfactant known (and used) for its foam-boosting properties. See surfactant.

sodium lauryl sulfate. There has been a great deal of misinformation about sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS)
being circulated on the Internet. Used primarily as a detergent cleansing agent SLS can be derived from