Please Tell Me If I Did Something Wrong!!!

[lovenharmony]

I just found out that the moisturizer I put on my hair has SODIUM HYDROXIDE in it!!! :burning::burning::burning:

The moisturizer is actually for skin, but since everyone here has been raving about Vaseline Intensive Care Lotion for their hair I decided to give skin lotions a try. The name of the moisturizer is Jergens Cherry-Almond. The ingredients are included below;

Water, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat, Ceteraryl Alcohol, Cetyl Esters, Glyceryl Dilaurate, Cetyl Alcohol, Ceterareth-20, Lanolin Oil, Dimethicone, Fragrance, Acrylates/ C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Hydroxide, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, DMDM Hydantoin

The only thing I know about sodium hydroxide is that it's lye and it destroys hair and is used as a liquefying agent in many household appliances. I'm scared that I've just put my hair under a gas burner and turned it on full blast! Is anyone a chemist? Is this normal to have something like this in skin products?

I'm at a loss right now...someone help!!

 

[*Luscious*Locked*Doc]

Well I majored in biochemistry and I'm currently in medical school. I would say given the location of the NaOH within the ingredient list - it isn't a main ingredient. Usually those are the top five ingredients. Furthermore, the fact that this is a common moisturizing agent used for the skin generically would suggest that the concentration of NaOH in the product is relatively low - this is because NaOH is one of the strongest chemical bases in the lab - higher concentrations would burn your skin just like high concentrations of acid would. Also because other members of the forum have used this product and lived unscathed...chances are you will too

 

[Dposh167]

there was a thread about this on here a while ago. i think sistaclick broke it down and said not to fret about this ingredient being in products like this b/c it needs other chemicals with it for it to create a reaction (the way it reacts in a relaxer)....but thats all i remember...and i don't even know if what i remember is correct

 

[lovenharmony]

Well I majored in biochemistry and I'm currently in medical school. I would say given the location of the NaOH within the ingredient list - it isn't a main ingredient. Usually those are the top five ingredients. Furthermore, the fact that this is a common moisturizing agent used for the skin generically would suggest that the concentration of NaOH in the product is relatively low - this is because NaOH is one of the strongest chemical bases in the lab - higher concentrations would burn your skin just like high concentrations of acid would. Also because other members of the forum have used this product and lived unscathed...chances are you will too

Whew! Thanks Luscious Locked Since joining LHCF, I've been studying the ingredients of products like a hawk and sodium hydroxide in anything freaks me out!