Ingredient glossary
Sodium Citrate
On your shelf ✓What Sodium Citrate does for your skin, who it suits, and what to watch for.
INCI: Sodium Citrate · Also: Trisodium Citrate
In short: Sodium Citrate delivers pH adjuster and chelation, plays a broad, supporting role, and the evidence behind it is strong. One thing to know: needs the right pH to work.
- What it does
- PH adjuster, chelation
- Best for
- A broad, supporting role
- Watch out
- Needs the right pH to work
- Evidence
- Strong
The molecule
The Glow take
Nice to have, and nothing to overthink.
Sodium Citrate plays a quiet supporting role, rounding out a formula rather than being the reason you buy it.
— Maya
What it does
- pH adjuster
- chelation
strong evidenceThe CIR panel assessed citric acid and its inorganic salts including sodium citrate in 2014 and concluded they are safe as used; a 10 percent occlusive patch produced no irritation in atopic and non-atopic volunteers.
Who it's for, and who should skip it
Tends to suit
No specific skin type. It is a broadly used ingredient.
Approach with care
- rare allergy
- Clogs poresLow
- Irritation riskLow
- pH-dependentIts effect depends on the product's pH
How it fits each skin type
- DryNeutral
- CombinationNeutral
- OilyNeutral
- SensitiveNeutral
Take extra care if any of these apply to you: rare allergy.
Where it fits in your routine
Plays well with
Sodium Citrate, answered
Is Sodium Citrate safe during pregnancy?
Yes. Sodium Citrate is considered safe to use during pregnancy and breastfeeding. As with anything, if you are unsure it is worth a quick word with your doctor or midwife.
Who should avoid Sodium Citrate?
Approach Sodium Citrate with care if any of these apply to you: rare allergy.
What concentration of Sodium Citrate actually works?
Its concentration is rarely printed on the label, so use the ingredient list as your clue: near the top third it is likely doing real work, near the bottom it is more of a sprinkle.
This, for every label you own
One ingredient is easy. A full label is where it gets confusing. The Ingredient Decoder reads any product and tells you the honest truth, ingredient by ingredient.
Sources & how we reviewed this
- PMID 24861367abstract only, the full text is paywalled