Sodium Chloride Average Texture enhancer No known benefits Sodium Chloride at a glance More popularly known as common table salt Functions as a binding agent, thickener, and occasionally an abrasive in cosmetics A white, crystalline solid On the FDA’s list of substances Generally Recognised as Safe Sodium Chloride description Sodium chloride is more popularly known as common table salt. It is used primarily as a binding and/or thickening agent in skin and hair care products (notably shampoos) and occasionally as an abrasive in salt scrub products. In its raw form it is a white, crystalline solid. Regarding its most common use as a thickening agent, here are some fun facts: Salt is commonly used to thicken the water (also known as aqueous) phase of shampoos, body washes, and non-soap facial cleansers. It’s an inexpensive and highly effective, versatile ingredient included in numerous types of cosmetics. Despite pure salt’s potential to dehydrate skin, the amounts used in skin care and other ingredients present eliminate this issue. As such, sodium chloride is widely considered non-irritating and non-drying as used in cosmetics. The United States Food and Drug Administration has put sodium chloride on its list of substances considered Generally Recognised as Safe. In fact, there aren’t any restrictions on how much of it can be used in cosmetics, though clearly it isn’t being used anywhere near a 100% concentration!