Sodium Hyaluronate is the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid and is a widely used cosmetic ingredient for hydration, moisturising and skin-conditioning formulations. It belongs to the glycosaminoglycan family and consists of repeating units derived from D-glucuronic acid and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine. Its INCI name is SODIUM HYALURONATE.
Unlike low-molecular-weight cosmetic ingredients with a single defined molecular weight, Sodium Hyaluronate is a polymer. Consequently, its molecular weight is normally expressed as a range rather than one fixed value. The molecular-weight range can significantly influence viscosity, film-forming characteristics, sensory properties and formulation performance.
Sodium Hyaluronate is highly relevant to modern skin-care products because it can function as a humectant and skin-conditioning ingredient. It is commonly incorporated into serums, creams, lotions, gels, facial-care products and other formulations designed around skin hydration.
Sodium Hyaluronate has CAS Number 9067-32-7 and EC Number 618-620-0. It is also referred to as Hyaluronic Acid Sodium Salt or Sodium Hyaluronate.
Because Sodium Hyaluronate is a polymer, its formula is conventionally represented as (C₁₄H₂₀NNaO₁₁)n rather than as a small molecule with a fixed molecular weight. USP/FCC describes molecular-weight ranges extending from approximately 80.2 kDa to 4,010 kDa for its microbial-fermentation Sodium Hyaluronate reference.
The repeating disaccharide unit itself has a calculated molecular weight of approximately 403.31 g/mol, but this should not be used as the molecular weight of a commercial Sodium Hyaluronate polymer.
Sodium Hyaluronate is generally supplied as a white or almost-white hygroscopic powder or fibrous aggregate. Different commercial grades are manufactured with different molecular-weight ranges, such as low-, medium- and high-molecular-weight grades.
Sodium Hyaluronate is primarily used as a humectant, skin-conditioning and hair-conditioning cosmetic ingredient. Its polymeric structure enables it to interact strongly with water and contribute to the moisture characteristics of cosmetic formulations.
Molecular weight is an important technical parameter. A higher-molecular-weight Sodium Hyaluronate grade can provide different viscosity and film-forming behavior from a lower-molecular-weight grade. Therefore, the molecular-weight range should be included in the raw-material specification rather than simply stating “Sodium Hyaluronate.”
Sodium Hyaluronate can also contribute to the sensory characteristics of aqueous formulations by increasing solution viscosity at suitable concentrations. The actual rheological behavior depends on molecular weight, concentration, ionic strength, pH, temperature and the presence of other polymers or electrolytes.
Sodium Hyaluronate is widely used in skin-care and personal-care formulations, including facial serums, moisturising creams, lotions, gels, eye-care products, facial cleansers, masks and other hydration-focused cosmetic products.
Its water compatibility makes it suitable for aqueous formulations, although high-molecular-weight grades can hydrate slowly and may require controlled dispersion techniques. Pre-dispersion, gradual addition and adequate hydration time can help minimize clumping during manufacturing.
Commercial cosmetic grades are available across different molecular-weight ranges. For example, one personal-care grade specifies a molecular-weight range of 200–400 kDa, demonstrating why molecular weight should be treated as a product-specific specification rather than a universal characteristic.
Sodium Hyaluronate can therefore be selected according to the desired combination of hydration, viscosity, film-forming behavior and sensory characteristics.
The most important consideration when selecting Sodium Hyaluronate is molecular weight. A cosmetic grade intended for a light serum may have very different molecular-weight and viscosity characteristics from a high-molecular-weight grade intended for a gel or cream.
A commercial 200–400 kDa cosmetic specification, for example, reports Sodium Hyaluronate content of minimum 95.0% on a dry basis, glucuronic acid minimum 46.0%, loss on drying maximum 10.0%, protein maximum 0.05%, pH 5.0–8.5 in a 0.5% aqueous solution, residue on ignition maximum 20.0%, and heavy metals maximum 20 ppm. These are specifications for that particular grade and should not be presented as universal limits for every Sodium Hyaluronate product.
The Assay (HPLC) field should not automatically contain a numerical value. Sodium Hyaluronate is a polymer and commercial quality assessment can involve polymer content, glucuronic acid, molecular-weight distribution, moisture and other analytical parameters. The actual analytical method must therefore be confirmed for the selected grade.
Storage is also important because Sodium Hyaluronate is hygroscopic. Moisture exposure can affect powder handling, water content and subsequent hydration behavior.
Sodium Hyaluronate is a high-value cosmetic ingredient for manufacturers developing moisturising, hydrating and skin-conditioning products. Its polymeric nature provides formulation flexibility through different molecular-weight grades, allowing formulators to select material according to desired viscosity and sensory performance.
For B2B cosmetic raw-material sourcing, the specification should clearly identify CAS number, molecular-weight range, Sodium Hyaluronate content, glucuronic acid content, moisture, pH, protein, elemental impurities and microbiological requirements where applicable.
As a Sodium Hyaluronate Cosmetic Ingredient Manufacturer in India, the focus is on controlled molecular-weight grades, consistent raw-material quality and suitability for bulk cosmetic and personal-care formulation requirements.
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Appearance | White or colourless crystals / white powder |
| Assay (HPLC) | ≥95.0% |
| Loss on Drying | NMT 10.0% |
| Residue on Ignition | NMT 20.0% |
| Heavy Metals | NMT 20 ppm |
| pH (1% Solution) | 5.0–8.5 |