Glyceryl Dilaurate

TL;DR. This ingredient is a nonionic fatty ester used mainly as an emulsifier, co-emulsifier, and emollient. It helps blend oil and water phases while adding a soft, conditioned skin feel.

What does Glyceryl Dilaurate do in a cosmetic formula?

This ingredient is a nonionic fatty ester used mainly as an emulsifier, co-emulsifier, and emollient. It helps blend oil and water phases while adding a soft, conditioned skin feel.

Is Glyceryl Dilaurate clean?

From a clean-beauty perspective, this ingredient is generally well tolerated and not a common restricted-list concern. Sensitivity is uncommon, though any fatty ester can feel rich or occlusive in formulas aimed at very oily skin.

Is Glyceryl Dilaurate sustainable?

This material is commonly made from glycerin and C12 fatty acids that can come from coconut, palm kernel, or other vegetable oils. It is expected to be readily biodegradable, with the main sustainability question being responsible sourcing of tropical oil feedstocks.

Is Glyceryl Dilaurate COSMOS-approved?

It is generally compatible with COSMOS-natural and COSMOS-organic formulations when made from permitted natural-origin feedstocks and approved processing routes. Its profile fits Green Chemistry well because it can use renewable inputs, forms by esterification, and breaks down into simple fatty-acid and polyol components.

How does Glyceryl Dilaurate work chemically?

The molecule is a diester built from a three-carbon polyol backbone and two saturated C12 fatty-acid chains, giving it amphiphilic behavior with a strong oil-phase character. It is typically used at low single-digit percentages as a co-emulsifier or skin-feel modifier, and ester bonds are most stable in mildly acidic to neutral systems but can hydrolyze under strongly acidic or alkaline conditions.

Last updated 2026-05-13