Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate: Comedogenic Rating & Ingredient Analysis
Sodium stearoyl glutamate is a gentle emulsifier built around a familiar amino acid, glutamic acid, which is one of the building blocks of proteins in the body. It is prized in modern formulating because it produces creams and lotions with an unusually light, silky, fast-absorbing feel while being very kind to the skin. It works at low levels, tolerates a range of formulas, and is often chosen for sensitive-skin and clean-beauty products that want a natural-leaning emulsifier without a heavy or soapy finish.
Quick facts
- Comedogenic rating
- our estimate — not measured
- Irritation risk
- Low
- Effective pH
- —
- Typical strength
- 0.5–3%
- Pregnancy
- Considered safe
- Suits skin types
- oilydrycombinationsensitivenormalacne-pronemature
Where this number comes from
No one has published a comedogenic rating for this ingredient. Fulton's 1989 table tested about 250 raw materials and this was not among them, and we found no later study measuring it. The figure shown is our own reasoning from the ingredient's chemistry and how it is used — treat it as an estimate, not a measurement.
Fulton read his own scale as 0-1 not significant, 2-3 borderline, 4-5 positive. The assay is the rabbit ear at 10% dilution, which the paper itself calls extremely sensitive and not fully predictive of human skin. Ratings describe the raw ingredient; concentration and formulation change real-world behaviour.
Caution profile
The four published fields on this page, on one 0–5 scale. Further from the centre means more care is needed — never that the ingredient is worse.
Derived, not measured: pore-clogging is the published comedogenic rating; irritation maps low/moderate/high to 1/3/5; pregnancy maps safe/caution/avoid to 0/3/5; skin-type limits is how many of the seven skin types this entry does NOT list. Every input is printed in words in the quick-facts card above.
Show the numbers
| Metric | 0–5 | Published field |
|---|---|---|
| Pore-clogging | 0 | 0/5 |
| Irritation | 1 | Low |
| Skin-type limits | 0 | 7/7 |
| Pregnancy | 0 | Considered safe |
Working pH and typical strength
Where this ingredient is formulated to sit, and at what concentration.
Both bars come from the fields above: the pH window and the typical strength range published for this ingredient. The tinted column is healthy skin's surface pH (about 4.7–5.75).
Show the numbers
| Metric | 0–5 |
|---|---|
| Typical strength | 0.5–3% |
What is it?
Sodium stearoyl glutamate is the sodium salt of stearoyl glutamic acid, formed by joining stearic acid (a fatty acid) to glutamic acid (an amino acid). This gives it an oil-loving fatty tail and a water-loving amino-acid head, the classic split that lets a molecule emulsify oil and water. Amino-acid-based emulsifiers like this are valued for being mild and for creating a delicate liquid-crystal structure that supports a silky, skin-compatible texture. It is often used together with a co-emulsifier or fatty alcohol to build a stable cream, and it has no active biological role beyond structuring the formula.
Benefits
Light, silky texture
It emulsifies while keeping creams and lotions feeling airy and fast-absorbing rather than heavy or waxy, a hallmark of amino-acid emulsifiers.
Gentle on skin
Built from an amino acid and a fatty acid, it is mild and well tolerated, making it a popular choice for sensitive-skin formulas.
Stabilizes the emulsion
It helps hold oil dispersed in water so lotions and creams stay uniform and do not separate over time.
Naturally derived option
Its amino-acid basis appeals to clean-beauty formulas looking for a biodegradable, skin-friendly emulsifier.
How to use
Sodium stearoyl glutamate is already formulated into the moisturizer, serum or lotion, so just apply the product as normal. It appears in lightweight creams and emulsions across day and night routines. There are no special layering rules or adjustment periods; it is a structural ingredient that quietly makes the texture pleasant while the actives do the work.
Side effects
Sodium stearoyl glutamate is considered low-irritation and non-comedogenic, with a rating of 0. It is one of the milder emulsifiers and is well suited to reactive skin. Reactions are uncommon, and it does not typically sting or sensitize. As always, how a finished cream behaves depends on the full formula, not this ingredient alone.
Who should avoid it
There is essentially no skin type that needs to avoid sodium stearoyl glutamate. It suits sensitive, oily, dry and acne-prone skin thanks to its mildness and light feel, and it is considered safe during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Pairs well with
Frequently asked questions
Is sodium stearoyl glutamate safe?
Yes. It is a gentle amino-acid-based emulsifier with a comedogenic rating of 0 and low irritation potential, widely used in sensitive-skin and natural formulas.
What does sodium stearoyl glutamate do?
It emulsifies oil and water into a stable cream while giving the texture a light, silky, fast-absorbing feel, and it helps condition the skin surface.
Does sodium stearoyl glutamate clog pores?
No. It has a comedogenic rating of 0 and its light-feel emulsions suit acne-prone and oily skin as well as dry skin.
Is sodium stearoyl glutamate natural?
It is nature-derived, made from a fatty acid and glutamic acid, an amino acid. It is biodegradable and common in clean-beauty products.
Why do amino-acid emulsifiers feel so light?
They form a delicate liquid-crystal structure that carries oil in fine droplets, giving creams a silky, airy texture instead of a heavy, waxy one.
Sources & further reading
Medical disclaimer
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