Decyl Gluoside ●
TL;DR. It is a nonionic surfactant used for cleansing, foaming, and helping lift oily soil from skin or hair. It also helps reduce the harsh feel of stronger anionic surfactants in blended cleanser systems.
What does Decyl Gluoside do in a cosmetic formula?
It is a nonionic surfactant used for cleansing, foaming, and helping lift oily soil from skin or hair. It also helps reduce the harsh feel of stronger anionic surfactants in blended cleanser systems.
Is Decyl Gluoside clean?
It is generally accepted in clean-beauty frameworks and has a mild, low-sensitization profile for a cleansing surfactant. Like many surfactants, it can sting eyes or irritate already-reactive skin at higher use levels.
Is Decyl Gluoside sustainable?
This ingredient is commonly made from plant-derived sugar chemistry and a C10 fatty alcohol that is often sourced from coconut or palm kernel supply chains. It is readily biodegradable, with the main sustainability caveat being traceability of the fatty alcohol feedstock.
Is Decyl Gluoside COSMOS-approved?
It is permitted under COSMOS-natural and COSMOS-organic standards when made from allowed feedstocks and processing routes. Its fit with Green Chemistry is strong because it can use renewable inputs, works in water-based systems, and has good biodegradability.
How does Decyl Gluoside work chemically?
The molecule is a nonionic surfactant with a hydrophilic sugar head group and a C10 alkyl tail, giving a balance of foam, detergency, and mild skin feel. It is typically supplied as a roughly 50 to 55% aqueous solution and used around 2 to 10% as supplied in cleansers, with broad pH compatibility and common use alongside anionic or amphoteric surfactants.
Last updated 2026-05-15