Baking soda, Sodium Bicarbonate, 1 kg

Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate in food-grade quality, one of the essential raw materials for bath bombs, tooth powders, deodorants and cleaning products. In a formulation it performs multiple roles at once: it adjusts and maintains pH, acts as a mild abrasive, binds odours and, in bath bombs, forms an effervescent mass with acid. The ingredient is of European origin, free from preservatives, parabens, PEG, silicones and palm oil-derived ingredients.

What baking soda does in a formulation

• pH regulator and buffer – when dissolved in the water phase, it shifts the formulation pH into a mildly alkaline range of around 8.3 and helps maintain it at that value. Suitable where acidic components need to be balanced.
• Abrasive component – fine crystals mechanically loosen dirt and dead skin cells. This is the basis of the cleansing and exfoliating action of tooth powders, foot scrubs and cleansing pastes.
• Odour absorption – the powder binds odour-causing substances, making it suitable for deodorants, dry shampoos and scalp care products.
• Effervescent component – combined with citric acid or another acid, it releases carbon dioxide on contact with water. Bath bombs, fizzing salts and shower fizz tablets all work on this principle.

Use in a formulation

The powder dissolves in water, but not in oil or alcohol. In aqueous products it is therefore added directly to the water phase and dissolved with stirring. In anhydrous products, such as bath bombs or powder deodorants, it remains in solid form and performs its role only upon contact with water or skin moisture.

The recommended processing temperature is up to 50 °C. Baking soda is therefore added cold or to an already cooled phase, not to a hot oil phase or boiling water. The dosage range of 0.1 – 50 % is wide and depends on the product type: fractions of a percent are sufficient for pH adjustment, while in a bath bomb or tooth powder baking soda forms a substantial part of the formulation.

Baking soda is not commonly added to emulsions and creams with a mildly acidic pH, as it would shift their pH into the alkaline range. It belongs in products where an alkaline or neutral pH is desirable. For each new formulation we recommend measuring the pH of the finished product.

Suitable for products such as

• Bath bombs and fizzing salts – combined with citric acid it forms the base of the effervescent mass, complemented by oils, colorants and fragrance components.
• Deodorants and antiperspirants – in both cream and powder form, it binds odours.
• Tooth powders and pastes – a mild abrasive for cleaning teeth and freshening the mouth.
• Soaps and scrubs – added to soap mass or body, hand and foot scrubs as a cleansing and exfoliating ingredient.
• Dry shampoos and scalp care products – odour absorption.
• Household cleaning products – pastes, powders and cleaning tablets where baking soda cleans and neutralises odours.

Good to know

The powder readily absorbs moisture. When dampened it clumps and loses its effectiveness in effervescent blends, so crush any lumps or sift the powder before weighing, especially when pressing bath bombs and tablets. When combining with acids, allow for gas release: let effervescent products dry completely before packaging.

Baking soda is not classified as hazardous under the CLP regulation, contains no fragrance allergens or ingredients of animal origin, and has not been tested on animals for cosmetic purposes. Ethylene oxide, nanomaterials and GMO-derived ingredients are not used in production.

Frequently asked questions