A sodium salt of boric acid, listed as a buffering agent and linked to an Annex II entry.
What it is
Sodium borate is a sodium salt of boric acid, disodium tetraborate, which occurs in anhydrous and hydrated forms; the hydrated form is known as borax. CosIng lists it as a buffering agent. The EU data link this ingredient to an entry in Annex II (prohibited substances).
Where it is used
Appears on the ingredient lists of a small number of products.
Limits of interpretation
The INCI list shows which ingredients are present, not how much of each. Above 1%, ingredients are listed in descending order of weight; below 1% the order is free.
See the EU regulation section for what the Annex II entry covers and how it applies. The INCI name does not show which hydrate form was used.
Functions
- Buffering
- Stabilising the pH of an aqueous medium in a narrow range even if an acid or base is added. Altering and/or maintaining a cosmetic product's pH at the desired level.
EU regulation
- As of
- 3 November 2026 · (EU) 2019/1966
Safety Gate alerts (EU)
2 alerts about dangerous cosmetics in the EU mention this substance. An alert concerns a specific product, usually one that breaks EU rules.
- Plangger Naturwaren – D.E.O-Balm (2026-06-24)
- ToothFaerie – ToothFaerie Toothpaste (2023-02-27)