Encyclopedia · chelator
Sodium phytate
A rice- or corn-derived chelator used in natural shampoos as a preservative booster and iron and copper binder, with no hair trials.
What it is
Sodium phytate is the sodium salt of phytic acid. In cosmetics it binds metals, stabilises formulas and can act as a mild antioxidant.
How it works
It binds iron and other multi-charged metals strongly.
What the studies show
We found no hair study. A 2025 mouse study reported that phytic acid improved the skin barrier in an atopic dermatitis model through a compound made by skin microbes, indole-3-propionic acid. It was animal work on skin, not scalp, and we read it only at listing level (Wang 2025). The evidence for hair is therefore marketing and chemistry only.
Side effects and safety
It is generally considered low risk in rinse-off use, though we did not open a full safety assessment.
Bottom line
A harmless, natural-positioned chelator. Do not expect it to fix hard-water buildup on its own, and hair-specific performance data are missing.
Studies 1
Wang P et al. Phytic Acid Improves the Skin Barrier Function in Murine Models of Atopic Dermatitis Through Skin Microbiota-Derived Indole-3-Propionic Acid. 2025
Result: Phytic acid improved skin barrier function through a microbiota-derived compound, indole-3-propionic acid (read at listing level only).
Read the study ↗Related
- Disodium EDTAThe classic cosmetic chelator, which grabs calcium, magnesium, iron and copper so shampoos lather and keep in hard water, with no clinical hair trials of its own.
- Tetrasodium glutamate diacetateA biodegradable, glutamic-acid-based chelator marketed as a greener EDTA replacement, with essentially no hair-specific data.
- Citric acidThe most common pH adjuster in shampoos and conditioners and, in a 2025 lab study, a calcium-removing treatment that strengthened chemically treated hair.