Ingredient glossary / pH adjuster
Baking soda
On the label: Sodium Bicarbonate · pH adjuster
What it is
Used in 'natural' deodorants to neutralise odour; alkaline, which is why it irritates some underarms. Also a bath bomb's fizz with citric acid.
pH adjusters: pH adjusters set the acidity of the formula so the actives work and the preservatives hold.
Wikidata: Chemical compound. Q179731 →
In the research
216 PubMed papers mention it with skin, cosmetics or hair; the three most recent:
- Nutritional and physiological response to feed form and sodium bicarbonate-adjusted dietary electrolyte balance in lactating sows under heat stress · Journal of animal science and technology, 2026
- Rhabdomyolysis in a 10-month-old child: A case report and literature review · Medicine, 2026
- Stevens-Johnson Syndrome identified at the University Hospital Center of Libreville, Gabon: Four case reports · The International journal of risk & safety in medicine, 2026
A paper is a paper, not a verdict: titles are listed so you can read them, and a study on cells or mice says little about a cream on a face.
Other ph adjusters
Dew & Balm describes ingredients from the public record and makes no claim about what a product will do for you. Statements about dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the FDA. If a product causes a reaction, stop using it; a reaction that spreads or affects breathing is a call to a doctor or 911.