Is Sodium Bicarbonate safe in cosmetics?
Sodium Bicarbonate has a safety rating of "MODERATE" in our database. EU status: permitted. US status: permitted.
Sodium Bicarbonate
Also known as: Carbonic acid disodium salt, Bisodium carbonate, Disodium carbonate (Na2CO3), Soda, Soda ash (+15 more)
INCI: SODIUM BICARBONATE
Sodium Bicarbonate (CAS 497-19-8) is a cosmetic preservative functioning as Alkaline salt that elevates skin surface pH to approximately 8, inhibiting. EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: permitted; GHS signal word WARNING. 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 497-19-8 →
Auto-generated CPSR Part A draft with source citations
Function
Alkaline salt that elevates skin surface pH to approximately 8, inhibiting growth of odor-causing microorganisms including Staphylococcus epidermidis and Corynebacterium spp. responsible for foot malodor. Also used in foot soaks for deodorising and softening effects.
Safety Rating
MODERATE
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
permitted
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
Generally safe for many cosmetic applications but explicitly contraindicated for intimate area deodorizing due to pH ~8.3 — disrupts the acid mantle and promotes pathogen overgrowth.
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 Bicarbonate.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
GHS Hazard Classification
Globally Harmonized System classification per ECHA C&L inventory and ILO/WHO International Chemical Safety Cards.
Signal Word
WARNING
Pictograms
Excl markWarn
Hazard Statements
Causes serious eye irritation
Short-term Exposure Effects
The substance is severely irritating to the eyes. The substance is mildly irritating to the skin and respiratory tract.
Long-term Exposure Effects
The substance may have effects on the respiratory tract. This may result in perforation of the nasal septum. Repeated or prolonged contact with skin may cause dermatitis.
Routes of Exposure
The substance can be absorbed into the body by inhalation of dust.
EPA ToxValDB — Toxicity Values
6 toxicity values from EPA ToxValDB (aggregated from CCTE, HPV, ToxRefDB, IRIS, and other regulatory dossiers).
| Endpoint | Value | Species | Route | Duration | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LD50 | =2210 mg/kg | Mouse | dermal | - | ECHA IUCLID |
| LC50 | =0.4 mg/L | Guinea Pig | inhalation | - | ChemIDplus |
| LC50 | =0.6 mg/L | Mouse | inhalation | - | ChemIDplus |
| LC50 | =1.15 mg/L | Rat | inhalation | - | ChemIDplus |
| LD50 | =6600 mg/kg | Mouse | oral | - | ChemIDplus |
| LD50 | =4090 mg/kg | Rat | oral | - | ChemIDplus |
EU CLP Annex VI Harmonized Classification
Legally binding harmonized classification per Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 (CLP) Annex VI.
Signal Word
Warning
Pictograms
Harmful / Irritant
Hazard Class and Category
Eye Irrit. 2
Hazard Statements
- H319 Causes serious eye irritation
Inserted via ATP: CLP00
ECHA REACH Registration
European Chemicals Agency REACH dossier and Substances of Very High Concern listing.
Registration Type
Full
Tonnage Band
10,000,000 - 100,000,000 tonnes
Substance Type
SUBSTANCE; GROUP
SVHC Candidate
No
Hazard classification: Restricted (Annex XVII)
Additional Ingredient Properties
4 property records from structured ingredient metadata.
concentration
{"min_concentration_pct": "0.5", "max_concentration_pct": "5.0", "typical_concentration_pct": "2.0", "product_type": "Cleanser", "function_at_concentration": "pH buffer, gentle exfoliant", "source": "CIR Safety Assessment"}
mineral_clay
{"cas_number": "144-55-8", "ingredient_class": "other", "chemical_formula": "NaHCO3", "mineral_origin": "synthetic", "particle_size_range_um": "10-500", "surface_area_m2_per_g": "0.5-5", "crystal_structure": "monoclinic", "color_appearance": "white", "opacity": "opaque", "refractive_index": "2.16", "oil_absorption_g_per_100g": "50-150", "water_absorption_capacity": "low", "surface_charge_at_pH_7":…
ph_stability
{"stable_ph_min": "8.0", "stable_ph_max": "10.0", "ph_dependent_function": "Mild alkalizer and buffer", "formulation_note": "Buffering action", "source": "Formulation literature"}
self_tanning
{"cas_number": "144-55-8", "ingredient_class": "tan_eraser", "tanning_mechanism": "other", "color_development_onset_hours": "0.0", "full_color_development_hours": "0", "color_duration_days": "0", "DHA_concentration_if_applicable_pct": "0", "erythrulose_concentration_pct": "0", "pH_dependent_color": "no", "formaldehyde_release_concern": "no", "formaldehyde_release_ppm": "0", "AGE_formation_concern"…
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Antioxidant
Chelating agent
Chemical reaction regulator
Cleaning agent
Corrosion inhibitor
Filler
Flavouring and nutrient
Flow promoter
Foamant
Food preservative
Regulatory List Membership (3)
EU Regulated in Personal Care
EPA Safer Chemical Ingredients List (SCIL)
FDA Substances Added to Food (EAFUS)
Expert Verdict
Expert safety assessment and concern-level summary for Sodium Bicarbonate.
Regulatory Flags
natural-deodorant-active
deodorant-not-antiperspirant
ph-adjuster
irritant
avoid-sensitive-skin
contact-dermatitis-risk
absorbent
moisture-absorber
talc-alternative
endocrine_disruptor
eu_children_restricted
epa_safer_alternative
ifra_fragrance
fda_food_additive
Known Synonyms
Carbonic acid disodium salt
Bisodium carbonate
Disodium carbonate (Na2CO3)
Soda
Soda ash
Sodium carbonate
Sodium carbonate (Na2(CO3))
Sodium carbonate, anhydrous
Calcined soda
Dense Ash
Dynamar 5251Q
Light Ash
Lime ash
Soda Ash Dense
Na-X
Soda Ash Light
Snowlite 1
Soda Light
Soda, calcined
Caswell N0 752
Chemical Function
pH regulating agent
Chelating agent
Regulatory Lists
inert_ingredient; Pesticides
inert_ingredient; non_food_use; Pesticides
Europe; Specialty occupational products
Journal of Chemical Engineering & Process Technology
drinking_water; Europe; manufacturing; plastic_additive
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
Australian Status
AICIS status: listed
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 CARBONATE
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL186314
Max Phase
4
Adverse Event Associations
7
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sodium Bicarbonate allowed in the EU?
Sodium Bicarbonate EU regulatory status: permitted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Sodium Bicarbonate do in cosmetics?
Sodium Bicarbonate functions as: Alkaline salt that elevates skin surface pH to approximately 8, inhibiting growth of odor-causing microorganisms including Staphylococcus epidermidis and Corynebacterium spp. responsible for foot malodor. Also used in foot soaks for deodorising and softening effects.. It is classified as a Preservative in our database. CAS number: 497-19-8.
Is Sodium Bicarbonate classified as hazardous under GHS?
Sodium Bicarbonate carries a GHS signal word of "WARNING". Hazard statements: Causes serious eye irritation. This classification is based on the ILO/WHO International Chemical Safety Card and ECHA C&L inventory data. Note: GHS classification applies to the pure substance — at cosmetic use concentrations, hazard thresholds may not be met.
Is Sodium Bicarbonate used outside cosmetics?
Sodium Bicarbonate 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.
Compliance Tools
Check Sodium Bicarbonate 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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