Coco Glucoside in Skincare: A Gentle Cleanser With One Catch
Coco glucoside is a mild, sulfate-free cleansing agent made from glucose and coconut-derived fatty alcohols. It is gentle for most people, but alkyl glucosides are a known if uncommon contact allergen.
TL;DR
- What it is: a surfactant made by joining plant glucose to fatty alcohols from coconut oil.
- What it does: lifts oil and dirt and gives a soft, light lather.
- The research: the CIR panel concluded the alkyl glucoside family is safe as used when formulated to be non-irritating.
- The catch: alkyl glucosides were the American Contact Dermatitis Society's Allergen of the Year for 2017.
- Who should care: people with atopic skin or a history of reacting to cleansers.
- Our position: coco glucoside is not in our formulas. We use a close relative instead.
What is coco glucoside?
Coco glucoside belongs to the alkyl glucosides, a family of surfactants made by joining a sugar to a fatty alcohol. In this one, the fatty alcohols come from coconut oil.
It is sulfate-free, so it is a common choice in gentle face washes, body washes and shampoos.
What does coco glucoside do in skincare?
It is a surfactant. One end of the molecule attracts water and the other attracts oil, so it lifts dirt and oil from skin and lets you rinse them away.
It lathers softly rather than squeakily. That makes cleansers built on it feel milder than those that foam hard.
Wondering which cleanser suits your skin? Our skin quiz can point you in the right direction.
Is coco glucoside actually gentle?
For most people, yes. Alkyl glucosides are described as very mild irritants compared with many older cleansing agents.
Gentle and allergy-proof are not the same thing, though. A small group of people develop a true contact allergy.
Can you be allergic to coco glucoside?
It is possible. The American Contact Dermatitis Society named alkyl glucosides its Allergen of the Year for 2017, partly because their use keeps growing.
The Dermatologist reports sensitisation below 2% in patch-tested people, creeping up from 1.5% to 1.7% across two reporting periods. DermNet adds that an allergy to one alkyl glucoside can cross-react with others.
If a wash leaves your skin red or itchy, check the label for alkyl glucosides, and patch test with our patch testing guide.
Who should be careful with coco glucoside?
People with atopic skin or a history of reacting to cleansers should take extra care. The Dermatologist notes these ingredients often appear in products marketed as hypoallergenic or for sensitive skin.
That marketing does not tell you whether you personally will react. The ingredient list does.
How do you use coco glucoside?
You do not choose it directly. It is built into a cleanser or wash, so follow that product's directions and rinse thoroughly.
Other mild cleansing agents in our library include cocamidopropyl betaine and sodium cocoyl isethionate.
Safety and typical concentration range
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review panel assessed decyl glucoside and other alkyl glucosides in 2013. It concluded they are safe as used when formulated to be non-irritating.
Use levels vary by product type, and we have not published a figure specific to coco glucoside.
Do we use coco glucoside at Dope Skin Co?
No. Coco glucoside is not in our formulas. We use a related ingredient, caprylyl/capryl glucoside, in our Glow Tonic, Calming Collagen Tonic, AHA/BHA Exfoliating Tonic and AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser.
If you know you react to alkyl glucosides, check labels before you buy.
FAQ
Is coco glucoside sulfate-free?
Yes. It is not a sulfate surfactant.
Is coco glucoside the same as decyl glucoside?
No, but they are close relatives. Both are alkyl glucosides, and they differ in the fatty alcohol used.
Is coco glucoside safe for sensitive skin?
It is mild for most people, but it can cause an allergy in a few. Patch test first.
Is coco glucoside plant-derived?
It is made from plant glucose and coconut-derived fatty alcohols. Being plant-derived does not mean you will tolerate it.
