Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate ●
TL;DR. This ingredient primarily acts as an anionic emulsifier and co-emulsifier, helping oil and water phases stay blended in creams, lotions, cleansers, and hair-care formulas. It can also support foam structure and improve a formula’s slip and conditioning feel.
What does Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient primarily acts as an anionic emulsifier and co-emulsifier, helping oil and water phases stay blended in creams, lotions, cleansers, and hair-care formulas. It can also support foam structure and improve a formula’s slip and conditioning feel.
Is Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate clean?
From a clean-beauty perspective, this ingredient is generally well accepted, with low sensitization concern and no major restricted-list profile. Like many surfactant-like materials, it may be mildly irritating at higher use levels or in formulas designed for very sensitive skin.
Is Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate sustainable?
This ingredient is commonly made from fatty-acid feedstocks and lactic acid, which can be plant-derived, though the fatty acid portion may trace back to palm or other vegetable oils depending on the supplier. It is expected to be readily biodegradable and does not raise the same persistence concerns as silicones or fluorinated materials.
Is Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate COSMOS-approved?
It is generally permitted under COSMOS-natural and COSMOS-organic when made from accepted natural-origin fatty acid and lactic acid sources, with supplier documentation needed for full compliance. Its Green Chemistry fit is strong when renewable feedstocks are used, since it is biodegradable and made through relatively standard esterification and neutralization chemistry.
How does Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate work chemically?
The molecule is an anionic ester salt built from a C18 fatty acid chain and lactic acid units, giving it both a hydrophobic tail and a polar sodium carboxylate head for interfacial activity. Typical cosmetic use is often around 0.5% to 3% as a co-emulsifier or texture aid, and it is most stable in mildly acidic to neutral systems, with ester hydrolysis becoming more relevant at extreme pH or high heat.
Last updated 2026-05-13