Ingredient glossary / Chelating agent
Sodium phytate
On the label: Sodium Phytate · Chelating agent
What it is
A plant-derived chelating agent from rice bran, used in place of EDTA in some formulas.
Chelating agents: Chelating agents bind metal ions in the water so they do not spoil the product or weaken the preservative.
Wikidata: Chemical compound. Q72508090 →
In the research
6 PubMed papers mention it with skin, cosmetics or hair; the three most recent:
- Chaves thermal spring water formulation: Substantiating anti-ageing and anti-inflammatory effects · International journal of cosmetic science, 2026
- Safety Assessment of Polyol Phosphates as Used in Cosmetics · International journal of toxicology, 2024
- Ingestion of insoluble dietary fibre increased zinc and iron absorption and restored growth rate and zinc absorption suppressed by dietary phytate in rats · The British journal of nutrition, 2001
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 chelating agents
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.