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Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate

Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate

Keeps oil and water mixed and adds a soft feel. Common in products sold as natural.

What it does

Made from lactic acid and stearic acid, it helps oil and water mix into a stable cream and leaves a soft feel. It’s biodegradable, which is why it shows up in products sold as natural.

The evidence, graded

expert consensusUS safety reviewers (2024) assessed 10 lactylate salts, which all act in products as surfactants, helping oil and water mix. Their index lists sodium lauroyl lactylate and sodium stearoyl lactylate under that report. They judged all 10 safe as used, in products made not to irritate or cause allergy.Johnson 2024 · International Journal of Toxicology ↗

Graded per the methodology: strong · moderate · emerging · expert consensus. A weak source on a strong claim gets the weaker label.

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