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How does Sodium Lactate function as an exfoliant?
Hey everyone,
I have a question about sodium lactate. I’ve heard that it can cause sun sensitivity, and when I looked it up in the CIR, it said it acts as a mild exfoliant. I’m wondering if it needs to be formulated at a low ph in order to act this way, if it’s exfoliating in it’s present ph, or if it’s the concentration that makes it exfoliating? -
5 Replies
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C.I.R. says exfoliant, huh? Only if you drive the pH to< 4.0, liberating the free acid. Some use sodium lactate as a (weak) chelating alternate to EDTA, but I have only used it with lactic acid to form a nifty pH buffer. If you ever formulate with urea in large concentration the lactate buffer will be essential.
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Okay awesome. Thanks for the reply! I figured in order for it to be an exfoliant, it would have to be at a low ph, but I wasn’t sure. I know…I never would have thought of it as an exfoliant. The CIR says its a mild one, so I’m not sure how noticeable it’s exfoliating powers are. I’ve always used it as a humectant.
I just got some urea to try out. I know it’s pretty unstable. I’ll have to try out this lactate buffer.
Thanks again! -
I think, you have mislead yourself. These characteristics are related to the Lactic acid, which is a mild a-hydroxy acid, and yes it acts as exfoliant, but in bigger concentrations. Sodium lactate is actually salf of the Lactic acid, and it has an alkaline properies.
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Yes, I am aware of Lactic acid being an exfoliant, and CIR does classify it as such. However, it also says this about sodium lactate.
Here’s the quote I found on the CIR. This is from page 30 of the 1998 document on sodium lactate.
“Sodium Lactate. Sodium Lactate functions as a buffering agent and
as a skin-conditioning agent-humectant in a number of product categories (Wenninger and McEwen, 1995a). It also functions as a mild exfoliant (CTFA, 1995a).”I had read at a few places online that sodium lactate should be formulated to avoid increasing sun sensitivity, which is what led me to investigate the ingredient further. Your comment on sodium lactate being half lactic acid, makes this whole thing make a lot more sense.
My take away is that sodium lactate is a VERY mild exfoliant. Only half as strong as lactic, and only if formulated at a low ph. Doesn’t seem to be anything to be too concerned about. I don’t generally formulate with it at low ph, and even if I did, it wouldn’t be more than a few percent of the formula.
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As far as i know the both - Sodium lactate and Sodium PCA can be sun sensitizing, but I am not sure at what concentration. I alway use Sodium lactate in my lotions at 2 - 2.5%. Also I go to solarium twice a week, and haven’t noticed something unusual, but still I am wondering if there’s a danger.
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