SPF Scout · Ingredient

Sodium Metabisulfite

Antioxidant (slows the formula oxidizing)Preservative (inhibits microbial growth)Reducing agent (chemically reduces other ingredients)

CAS 7681-57-4 / 7757-74-6

EU regulatory status

  • Restricted in cosmetic products in the EU

    Annex III (substances subject to restrictions), entry 99 — EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, as recorded in CosIng.

This status describes European Union cosmetics law: which substances may be used in cosmetic products sold there, and under what conditions. Regulations differ by region. It is not a statement about any specific product, and it does not predict whether your skin will react.

What this ingredient generally does

This works as an antioxidant, a preservative, and a reducing agent. In practice, it helps slow down spoilage and keeps the formula stable over time.

Reviewed before publication. This note describes function in a formulation, and nothing else.

Published formulations that list this ingredient

These are the formulations currently published in the SPF Scout catalog whose stored ingredient declaration includes this ingredient. It is not a list of every product on the market, and the order carries no meaning.

Checking this against your own list

You can select this ingredient in the SPF Scout app as one to flag. The app compares your selections against a product's stored declaration on your device; your list never reaches this website.

This comparison does not predict whether your skin will react.

Where this information comes from

Ingredient names, CAS numbers and recorded functions come from SPF Scout’s curated ingredient dictionary, grounded in CosIng, the European Commission’s Cosmetic Ingredient Database. Content © European Union, reused with acknowledgement.

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