Question 1

What does Sodium Laureth-11 Carboxylate do in a cosmetic formula?

Accepted Answer

It is an anionic cleansing surfactant used to lift oil and soil, support foam, and improve mildness in face, body, and hair cleansers. It can also help solubilize small amounts of oils or fragrance components in water-based formulas.

Question 2

Is Sodium Laureth-11 Carboxylate clean?

Accepted Answer

From a clean-beauty lens, it is acceptable with caveats because it is ethoxylated and can carry trace ethylene oxide or 1,4-dioxane if purification is weak. It is generally milder to skin and eyes than many sulfate-type cleansers, but very sensitive users may still notice dryness or irritation at higher active levels.

Question 3

Is Sodium Laureth-11 Carboxylate sustainable?

Accepted Answer

This material is typically made from fatty alcohol feedstocks that may come from coconut, palm kernel, or petrochemical sources, then processed with petrochemical ethylene oxide. It is expected to biodegrade in wastewater, but its renewable-content score depends heavily on feedstock sourcing and residue controls.

Question 4

Is Sodium Laureth-11 Carboxylate COSMOS-approved?

Accepted Answer

It is generally not aligned with COSMOS-natural or COSMOS-organic because ethoxylation is not a permitted processing route under the standard. Its Green Chemistry fit is mixed, since it can be biodegradable and effective at low use levels, but relies on petrochemical ethylene oxide and requires tight impurity control.

Question 5

How does Sodium Laureth-11 Carboxylate work chemically?

Accepted Answer

The molecule is a sodium salt of an alkyl ether carboxylic acid with an 11-unit polyoxyethylene chain, giving it a strongly anionic head group and a C12 lipophilic tail. It is commonly used around 1-10% active in rinse-off cleansers, performs best around mildly acidic to neutral pH, and is not a good match for strongly cationic conditioning systems.