Database/Hair Conditioning/Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate
Route-dependent · ISO 16128

Is Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate natural?

It depends. A formaldehyde-releasing preservative built on glycine; the value depends on whether the glycine was fermented or synthesised.

INCI nameSodium Hydroxymethylglycinate
CAS70161-44-3
FormulaC3H6NNaO3 · 127.07 Da
FunctionHair Conditioning · Preservative
FeedstockGlycine (natural or synthetic), sodium hydroxide and formaldehyde.

Why the score varies

This ingredient is made commercially by more than one route, and ISO 16128 scores the feedstock actually used. Without a supplier certificate of origin the value cannot be claimed.

RouteFeedstockNOIShareNotes
natural-origin glycineglycine from fermentation or protein hydrolysis + sodium hydroxide + formaldehyde0.76minoritysodium glycinate 97.1 Da natural + hydroxymethyl CH2O 30.0 Da petrochemical; 97.1/127.1 = 0.76
synthetic glycineglycine from chloroacetic acid + ammonia (petrochemical) + sodium hydroxide + formaldehyde0.18majorityonly the sodium 23.0 Da is natural origin; 23.0/127.1 = 0.18
Ask your supplier. A batch-specific certificate of origin or bio-based carbon test (ASTM D6866) settles which route applies.

How we scored it

Glycine is route-dependent on this site. Sodium hydroxymethylglycinate C3H6NNaO3 127.1 Da = sodium glycinate 97.1 Da + formaldehyde-derived CH2O 30.0 Da (petrochemical). Natural glycine: 0.76; synthetic glycine: 0.18.
What counts. ISO 16128-2 scores the atoms that remain in the final ingredient. Reagents, solvents, catalysts and protecting groups used during manufacture leave no mass behind and are not counted.

How it’s made

N-Hydroxymethylation of glycinate with formaldehyde. Each curved arrow moves one electron pair, and the film ends on the score above.

Where it comes from

Glycine (natural or synthetic), sodium hydroxide and formaldehyde.

In plain English

A preservative made from the amino acid glycine reacted with formaldehyde. It's used in small amounts to stop bacteria and mould from growing in cosmetic products.

CosIng definition: Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate is the sodium salt of the substituted amino acid that conforms to the formula:

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Structure

2D structure of Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate

sodium 2-(hydroxymethylamino)acetate

PubChem CID 23664641 ↗

References

  1. 1ISO 16128-1:2016 and ISO 16128-2:2017 — Guidelines on technical definitions and criteria for natural and organic cosmetic ingredients and products. ISO, Geneva.
  2. 2Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate. PubChem CID 23664641. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3SODIUM HYDROXYMETHYLGLYCINATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4SODIUM HYDROXYMETHYLGLYCINATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=SODIUM%20HYDROXYMETHYLGLYCINATE