Lauroyl Lactylate ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is a mild anionic surfactant and co-emulsifier used to help blend oil and water, support foam, and improve skin or hair feel. It is often used in cleansers, creams, and lotions as a secondary cleansing or texture-building ingredient.
What does Lauroyl Lactylate do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is a mild anionic surfactant and co-emulsifier used to help blend oil and water, support foam, and improve skin or hair feel. It is often used in cleansers, creams, and lotions as a secondary cleansing or texture-building ingredient.
Is Lauroyl Lactylate clean?
From a clean-beauty perspective, it is generally well tolerated and does not carry the same restricted-list friction as ethoxylated surfactants or formaldehyde-releasing preservatives. Like many surfactants, it can be drying or irritating at higher levels, especially in rinse-off formulas with strong cleansing systems.
Is Lauroyl Lactylate sustainable?
This material is commonly made from renewable fatty-acid feedstocks, often coconut or palm-kernel derived, combined with a fermentation-linked acid component. It is expected to biodegrade readily, with the main sustainability caveat being traceability of tropical oil sourcing.
Is Lauroyl Lactylate COSMOS-approved?
It is generally compatible with COSMOS-natural formulation when made from approved renewable feedstocks and compliant processing. Its profile fits Green Chemistry reasonably well because it uses bio-based inputs, has good biodegradability, and does not require persistent silicone or fluorinated chemistry.
How does Lauroyl Lactylate work chemically?
The molecule is an amphiphilic ester with a C12 fatty chain and a hydrophilic acid-derived head group, giving it cleansing, wetting, and emulsifying behavior. Typical use is often around 0.5% to 5% depending on whether it is supporting emulsification or cleansing, and ester hydrolysis is more likely under strongly acidic or alkaline conditions.
Last updated 2026-05-15