Sodium ascorbate

Sodium ascorbate

Low hazardMolecular weight 198.11

What does Sodium ascorbate do for skin?

The sodium salt of LAA. Dissociates in solution, and ionisation affects skin delivery. Low-pH LAA study results cannot be carried over.

Dose on file: N/A

Is Sodium ascorbate safe in skincare?

Low hazardHazard 2/10

CIR safe as used

Based on

  • Reference: Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel

    Safe as used · CIR report 278 conclusion

Is Sodium ascorbate classified as a carcinogen?

Only four bodies count here: IARC, EU CLP, US NTP and California Prop 65.

Not classified by IARC, EU CLP, US NTP, or California Prop 65.

How is Sodium ascorbate regulated?

Cosmetic ingredient

Not found on any prescription-drug, professional-treatment, or US OTC monograph list, so it is treated as a cosmetic ingredient. This is a passive default ("not on any known restricted list"), not an individually verified positive finding.

Is Sodium ascorbate safe during pregnancy?

  • Pregnant

    Not enough data

  • Nursing

    Not enough data

  • Planning

    Not enough data

Sodium ascorbate is a vitamin C ingredient. We found no study of it, or of vitamin C on the skin, in pregnancy (searched PubMed, CIR, LactMed). The pregnancy skin-care review we rely on (Putra 2022) explains how vitamin C works but gives no pregnancy safety verdict, and LactMed's vitamin C entry covers supplements by mouth only. We make no call. CIR summarises animal studies in which high oral doses of vitamin C or sodium ascorbate did not cause birth defects; none used skin products.

  • Reference: Putra IB et al., 2022

    Review (2022): describes how vitamin C works; no pregnancy safety verdict · Vitamin C is described only as an antioxidant that supports collagen and lightens skin.

  • Reference: US NIH / NICHD

    LactMed 'Vitamin C': covers supplements by mouth only · Vitamin C is a normal part of breast milk; maternal doses up to 1,000 mg a day raise milk levels but not enough to cause concern. Skin use is not addressed.

  • Reference: Elmore AR et al. (CIR Expert Panel), 2005

    CIR (2005): safe as used in cosmetics · Covers L-ascorbic acid, calcium and magnesium ascorbate, magnesium and sodium ascorbyl phosphate and sodium ascorbate. The published abstract does not mention pregnancy.

Sodium ascorbate benefits for skin, by concern

These raw scores are only shown here, in the ingredient dictionary.

  • Dark Circles and Periorbital Vascularity4.5

    Dose on file: clinical 10% lotion, under-eye 6 months

    Ohshima 2009 split-face vehicle-controlled (n=14, 6 months): the 10% sodium ascorbate side had a smaller change in erythema index (visible vessels) than vehicle and a tendency to thicker dermis - the authors interpret this as thickening the dermis to mask congested colour. Because of the small sample it cannot be given above 4.5. The only vehicle-controlled single-ingredient evidence for dark circles.

    • Reference: Ohshima H et al., 2009
  • Antioxidant and Vitality2.5

    Dose on file: N/A

  • Whitening and Brightening2.0

    Dose on file: N/A

Products that list this ingredient

14 products in our catalog list this ingredient. Here are the 12 with the most reviews.

Sources (5)

  • Reference: Ohshima H et al., 2009
  • Reference: Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel
  • Reference: Putra IB et al., 2022
  • Reference: US NIH / NICHD
  • Reference: Elmore AR et al. (CIR Expert Panel), 2005

Red does not mean poison. Preservatives that stop a product going off, UV filters and fragrance can land on yellow or red depending on their score.

Green does not mean right for you. Skin and allergies differ from person to person. Treat the color as a starting point.