Barrier

Sodium Chloride

INCI · Sodium Chloride · also Salt

Revelika safety grade

Overview

Ordinary salt, used in cosmetics for reasons that have nothing to do with flavour. In surfactant cleansers a small amount thickens the liquid; elsewhere it appears as a scrub particle or as part of a mineral-water extract.

Who it's for

Anyone using a gel or liquid cleanser, where it is often what keeps the product from pouring like water.

Cautions

As a scrub particle, salt is coarse and can be harsh on facial skin, particularly if the crystals are large or the pressure is heavy; that is a technique and product-choice question rather than a property of the ingredient. At the low levels used to thicken a cleanser it does not act on skin.

Suitability
Suits skin type
Dry Oily Combination Sensitive Acne-prone Mature Normal
Concentration
Concentration0 – 10%
Effective from
Max safe
In the glossary
Frequently asked
What does Sodium Chloride do in skincare?

Ordinary salt, used in cosmetics for reasons that have nothing to do with flavour. In surfactant cleansers a small amount thickens the liquid; elsewhere it appears as a scrub particle or as part of a mineral-water extract.

Is Sodium Chloride considered safe for skin?

As a scrub particle, salt is coarse and can be harsh on facial skin, particularly if the crystals are large or the pressure is heavy; that is a technique and product-choice question rather than a property of the ingredient. At the low levels used to thicken a cleanser it does not act on skin.

RRevelika

A science-forward beauty ingredient encyclopedia. Every entry is written from published research and graded conservatively before it publishes.

Editorial standard

Content is educational, not medical advice. When evidence is uncertain we say so — and we default to caution on pregnancy safety.

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