Is Sodium Lactate safe in cosmetics?
Sodium Lactate has a safety rating of "EXCELLENT" in our database. EU status: permitted. US status: permitted.
Excellent
Humectant
Sodium Lactate
Also known as: Purasal Powder S 98JS, Purasal S/HQ 60, Sodium 2-hydroxypropanoate, sodium lactylate, Lactic acid (+10 more)
INCI: SODIUM LACTATE
Sodium Lactate (CAS 72-17-3) is a cosmetic humectant functioning as pH buffering agent; humectant; moisturizer. NOAEL 1330 mg/kg bw/day (cross-referenced against ToxValDB ECHA IUCLID); EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: permitted. Industrial safety data is also available in the chemical safety database. Same-CAS public records also appear in industrial chemical safety and pharmaceutical data.
View industrial chemical safety profile for CAS 72-17-3 →
Auto-generated CPSR Part A draft with source citations
Cross-Vertical Regulatory Divergence
Sodium Lactate is classified GHS Danger (H315, H318, H319) in the chemicals database but is allowed in EU cosmetics.
Source: Cosmetics: ingredients.eu_status; Chemicals: ghs_classifications.signal_word/hazard_statement_code
Function
pH buffering agent; humectant; moisturizer
Safety Rating
EXCELLENT
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
permitted
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
GRAS under 21 CFR 184.1768 for food use (emulsifier, flavor enhancer, humectant, pH control). Permitted in cosmetics under FDA general safety requirement. CIR Expert Panel (1998, re-reviewed 2017) concluded AHAs including sodium lactate are safe at <=10% concentration at final formulation pH >=3.5, when formulated to avoid increasing sun sensitivity or with daily sun protection labeling.
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Sodium Lactate.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Pre-Calculated Safety Assessment
Pre-calculated NOAEL → SED → MoS audit trail for Sodium Lactate across SCCS product categories, with measured dermal absorption where available.
ECHA REACH Registration
European Chemicals Agency REACH dossier and Substances of Very High Concern listing.
Registration Type
Full
Tonnage Band
10 - 100 tonnes
Substance Type
SUBSTANCE
SVHC Candidate
No
Additional Ingredient Properties
10 property records from structured ingredient metadata.
baby_pediatric
{"cas_number": "72-17-3", "ingredient_class": "moisturizer_baby", "pediatric_safety_rating": "excellent", "minimum_age_months": "0", "neonatal_safe": "yes", "premature_infant_safe": "yes", "skin_barrier_maturity_consideration": "NMF component", "transepidermal_absorption_risk_pediatric": "low", "systemic_exposure_concern_pediatric": "low", "dose_per_kg_body_weight_concern": "Humectant penetration …
concentration
{"min_concentration_pct": "1.0", "max_concentration_pct": "3.0", "typical_concentration_pct": "2.0", "product_type": "Serum", "function_at_concentration": "Hydration", "source": "Supplier TDS"}
cost_pricing
{"cost_tier": "budget", "estimated_cost_per_kg_usd_low": "8", "estimated_cost_per_kg_usd_high": "15", "natural_premium_markup_pct": "0", "organic_certified_premium_pct": "0", "supply_chain_volatility": "low", "primary_source_region": "Global", "bulk_discount_threshold_kg": "300", "seasonal_price_variation": "low", "commodity_or_specialty": "commodity", "substitute_ingredients": "Lactic Acid, Sodiu…
hair_care
{"hair_function": "moisturizing", "hair_type_suitability": "all", "curl_pattern_suitability": "all", "porosity_suitability": "all", "protein_sensitivity": "moisture", "moisture_protein_balance": "yes", "cg_method_approved": "not-a-silicone", "silicone_type": "not-a-sulfate", "sulfate_type": "no", "drying_alcohol": "no", "fatty_alcohol": "no", "heat_protectant": "yes", "color_safe": "neutral", "ker…
humectant
{"cas_number": "72-17-3", "ingredient_class": "humectant/NMF_component", "molecular_weight_Da": "112.06", "chemical_type": "organic_acid", "water_binding_mechanism": "hydrogen_bonding/hygroscopic", "water_holding_capacity_g_per_g": "0.4-0.6", "hygroscopicity_at_50_RH": "good", "hygroscopicity_at_80_RH": "excellent", "NMF_component": "yes", "NMF_percentage_natural": "5-8", "TEWL_reduction_pct": "15…
ph_stability
{"optimal_ph_min": "5.0", "optimal_ph_max": "8.0", "stable_ph_min": "4.5", "stable_ph_max": "9.0", "degrades_above_ph": "10.0", "degrades_below_ph": "4.0", "ph_dependent_function": "NMF component; humectant", "formulation_note": "Salt of lactic acid", "source": "Formulation literature"}
pregnancy_detail
{"pregnancy_safe": "yes", "breastfeeding_safe": "yes", "risk_category": "not-rated", "reason": "Safe; NMF component; humectant", "source": "dermatology literature"}
sensory
{"silky": "light", "smooth, glides easily": "smooth, wet", "dry-touch, non-greasy": "hydrated, fresh", "instant": "fast", "low": "low", "w/o": "o/w", "very-high": "high", "no": "no", "yes": "no", "1.40": "1.36", "transparent": "transparent", "colorless": "colorless", "excellent": "good", "light": "light", "synthetic": "biotechnology"}
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Abrasive
Biocide
Chelating agent
Cleaning agent
Emulsifier
Flavouring and nutrient
Humectant
Pharmaceutical
Processing aids not otherwise specified
Softener and conditioner
Regulatory List Membership (4)
EU Regulated in Personal Care
EU Restricted for Children (Cosmetics)
EPA Safer Chemical Ingredients List (SCIL)
FDA Substances Added to Food (EAFUS)
Expert Verdict
Expert safety assessment and concern-level summary for Sodium Lactate.
Regulatory Flags
eu-unrestricted
cir-approved
gras-fda
humectant
non-sensitizing
penetration-enhancer
eu_children_restricted
epa_safer_alternative
fda_food_additive
NOAEL Studies Summary
View details ->Public NOAEL study rows linked to Sodium Lactate by CAS number or substance name.
Studies
3
Lowest NOAEL
1913 mg/kg bw/day
Highest NOAEL
1913 mg/kg bw/day
ECHA_REACH_reach_study_results_dossiers_23-05-2023.zip
Known Synonyms
Purasal Powder S 98JS
Purasal S/HQ 60
Sodium 2-hydroxypropanoate
sodium lactylate
Lactic acid
EINECS 200-772-0
EINECS 206-231-5
Lactic acid, sodium salt
Sodium lactate 0.167 molar in plastic container
Sodium lactate 1/6 molar in plastic container
Sodium lactate in plastic container
UNII-TU7HW0W0QT
2-Hydroxypropanoic acid, monosodium salt
E325
Monosodium 2-hydroxypropanoate
Chemical Function
Surfactant (surface active agent)
Humectant
pH regulating agent
Pharmaceutical
Biocide
Regulatory Lists
Europe; supplements
Europe; food_additive; supplements
children; Europe; Personal care
animal_products
animal_products
Europe; Personal care
supplements
Europe; Personal care
Europe; Personal care
Europe; Personal care
Europe; Personal care
Europe; Personal care
Europe; Personal care
food_additive; Substances Added to Food (formerly EAFUS) (2/2019)
SCIL (9/2019)
Cleaning products and household care - dishwasher and dishes - automatic dishwashing detergent; Europe
Cross-Vertical Safety Context
Same-CAS public records found in pharmaceutical data.
SOURCE
ChEMBL / DrugCentral / FAERS
DB_PHARMA CAS match
Pharmaceutical Data
Same-CAS rows from the pharmaceutical spoke database.
Compound
SODIUM LACTATE
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL1357
Max Phase
4
Adverse Event Associations
161
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sodium Lactate allowed in the EU?
Sodium Lactate EU regulatory status: permitted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Sodium Lactate do in cosmetics?
Sodium Lactate functions as: pH buffering agent; humectant; moisturizer. It is classified as a Humectant in our database. CAS number: 72-17-3.
Is Sodium Lactate used outside cosmetics?
Sodium Lactate also appears in industrial chemical safety and pharmaceutical data. The cross-vertical cards on this page render same-CAS public rows from the matched databases.
Does Sodium Lactate have different safety status in cosmetics vs industrial chemicals?
Sodium Lactate is classified GHS Danger (H315, H318, H319) in the chemicals database but is allowed in EU cosmetics.
Compliance Tools
Check Sodium Lactate compliance across multiple jurisdictions:
Ingredient Decoder
Paste a full ingredient list for instant analysis
82 Allergen Checker
Check for EU declarable fragrance allergens
Substance Compliance
Check compliance across multiple jurisdictions
MoS Calculator
Calculate Margin of Safety using SCCS methodology
Heavy Metal Limits
Compare limits across jurisdictions
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