Ingredient glossary / Preservative
Sodium benzoate
On the label: Sodium Benzoate · Preservative
What it is
A food and cosmetic preservative that works best in acidic products; often paired with potassium sorbate in 'natural' formulas.
Preservatives: Preservatives stop bacteria and mould growing in a product that contains water; every water-based product needs one.
Wikidata: Chemical compound. Q423971 →
In the research
94 PubMed papers mention it with skin, cosmetics or hair; the three most recent:
- Natural, clean, yet still allergenic: contact allergen burden in vulvar soothing products · Menopause (New York, N.Y.), 2026
- A Robust Stability-Indicating RP-HPLC Method for Simultaneous Determination of Widely Used Pharmaceutical and Cosmetic Preservatives · Biomedical chromatography : BMC, 2026
- Fragrance and Preservative Contact Allergens in Cosmetic and Household Cleaning Products in Turkey: Variation by Target Population, Product Type and Manufacturing Origin · Contact dermatitis, 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.
Products whose label lists it
8 on the siteMatched from the ingredient list the supplier printed; the position in the list (first or thirtieth) is on each product page.
Made in the USA
Made in the USA
Made in the USA
Made in the USA
Made in the USA
Made in the USA
Made in the USA
Made in the USAOther preservatives
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.