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Sodium Hydroxide

Also-called-like-this: lye
What-it-does: buffering

Details

The unfancy name for it is lye. It’s a solid white stuff that’s very alkaline and used in small amounts to adjust the pH of the product and make it just right. 

For example, in case of AHA or BHA exfoliants, the right pH is super-duper important, and pH adjusters like sodium hydroxide are needed.  

BTW, lye is not something new. It was already used by ancient Egyptians to help oil and fat magically turn into something else. Can you guess what? Yes, it’s soap. It still often shows up in the ingredient list of soaps and other cleansers.

Sodium hydroxide in itself is a potent skin irritant, but once it's reacted (as it is usually in skin care products, like exfoliants) it is totally harmless.

Products with Sodium Hydroxide

Beyond Perfection Original Goat Milk Soap - Soap Bar Formulated With Kojic Acid And Vitamins A, C & E Dear Doctor Oatmeal Soap Klairs Gentle Black Sugar Charcoal Soap Nivea Oil In Lotion Cherry Blossom & Jojoba Oil Anua Azelaic Acid 15 Intense Calming Serum Base Daily Radiance & Multi-protection Serum Beauty Drops Aha 30% + Bha 2% Peeling Belo Glycolic Soap 10℅ Bobana Skin Lightening Cream DR. SOUL Dark Spot Eraser Whitening Soap Dermal Therapy Acne Control Lotion Dermorepubliq Power White Body Bar Dr Bronner Pure Castille Bar Soap (unscented) Honest Glow Glow 190 Rejuvenating Soap INNO-DERMA Βeta Purifying 24h Cream Ivana Skin Purifying Charcoal Bar Klairs Rich Moist Facial Soap Kruidvat Bodylotion Sensitive Almond Oil Lana Age Defying Soap MAGARA SKIN Cuffu Buff Mestiza The Healthy Skin Soap Original My dream skin Collagen + Niacinamide Intense Whitening Soap PURA D'OR Colorharmony Purple Shampoo Patanjali Mogra Body Cleanser Pyary Turmeric Soap RDL Papaya Brightening Soap RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Targeted Patches Skin rocks The Gentle Acid T3 Ada Gel The Queen Cosmetics and Skin Care Line Power Exfoliating Set- Kojic Acid Soap body blitz Plump It Up Serum ALVEUS Sapone Viso Corpo Acne.org Aha+ (Glycolic Acid - 10%) Advanced Clinicals 10% Glycolic Serum Aisuanis Energy Complex Ahas Exfoliating Toner Akmed Glycolic Cream Aroma Zone Sérum Visage Concentré Acide Glycolique 10% & AHA Avoskin Naufa Pure Olive Oil Bar Soap Babé Laboratorios STOP AKN Keratolytic Fluid Barefaced Glow Peel Pads Base Deep Sebum Control & Pore Clarifying Serum Beauché Beauty Bar Beauty vault Premium Kojic Soap Bebak Pore Tightening Tonic Belo Intensive Whitening Bar Classic Belo Essentials Belo Acne-pro Pimple Fighting Bar Bhumi Luminight Exfoliating Serum Bhumi Luminight Exfoliating Serum Bioderma Sebium Serum Bioderma Sébium Night Peel