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Sodium Oleate

What Sodium Oleate is & what it does

Sodium Oleate is the sodium salt of oleic acid, a fatty acid soap that acts as a surfactant and emulsifier in cosmetic formulas. It helps cleanse and helps oil and water phases mix, and can also serve as a thickening or stabilizing aid. As a soap it has cleansing properties and a tendency to be slightly alkaline.

What does Sodium Oleate do in skincare?

Sodium Oleate is a fatty-acid soap that acts as a surfactant and emulsifier in cosmetic formulas. It helps cleanse and helps oil and water phases blend together, and can aid in thickening or stabilizing a product. It is a functional ingredient rather than a skin treatment active.

Is Sodium Oleate safe?

Sodium Oleate is commonly used in cosmetics and is generally considered safe at the levels used in formulas. As a soap it is slightly alkaline, which can be drying for some skin types in high-soap cleansers. People with sensitive or dry skin may prefer milder surfactant systems.

Is Sodium Oleate natural or synthetic?

Sodium Oleate can be considered nature-derived, since it is the sodium salt of oleic acid, a fatty acid found in many plant oils. It is produced by reacting the fatty acid with an alkali in a process called saponification. The starting oil can come from vegetable or animal sources depending on the manufacturer.

Sunscreens with Sodium Oleate

We rate 14 sunscreens that contain it, showing the top 10 by overall score:

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