SODIUM COCOYL ISETHIONATE

📋 Quick facts

Description: SODIUM COCOYL ISETHIONATE — gentle cleansing agent, common in cleansing bars.

All Functions: gentle cleansing agent, common in cleansing bars

Quick Facts:

• Category: surfactant

Proven Benefits At A Glance:

• A mild surfactant (cleanser ingredient) used in cleansing bars for over 30 years
• Research shows it’s gentler on skin than some other common detergents
• Its larger molecular structure means it stays on the skin surface rather than penetrating deeply
• Can be difficult to dissolve in liquid formulations without special techniques

📊 Comedogenicity

🛡️ Safety rating

Safety tier is a starting heuristic from regulatory status and comedogenic rating, not a dermatological verdict — see our Terms for the full disclaimer. Research confidence reflects how many real cited studies back this ingredient, not the strength of their findings.

🌍 Regulatory Status

💧 Skin Type Compatibility

⚠️ Don’t Combine With

📚 Research & Evidence

🔬 The Science

Sodium cocoyl isethionate (SCI) is a surfactant—essentially a cleaning agent that helps remove oils and dirt from skin. Here’s what the research tells us about how it works and why formulators use it:

#1: Skin gentleness comes from size. SCI forms larger clusters (called micelles, with a radius of about 33.5 Angstroms) in water compared to other common detergents like sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). The stratum corneum—your skin’s outermost protective barrier—has tiny water-filled pores averaging about 29 Angstroms in radius. Because SCI’s micelles are slightly larger than these pores, they physically cannot squeeze through and penetrate deeply into the skin (J Cosmet Sci, 2007).

This is the opposite of SDS, whose smaller micelles can enter these pores and disrupt the skin barrier. Research using radioactive labeling confirmed that SCI penetration is dose-independent, meaning even at higher concentrations, SCI stays on the surface and doesn’t accumulate in the skin (J Cosmet Sci, 2007). #2: It has a long track record in solid bars. SCI has been a primary ingredient in syndet bars (synthetic detergent bars designed to be milder than traditional soap) for more than thirty years and is recognized for good skin compatibility and cost-effectiveness (J Cosmet Sci, 2003). #3: Formulation challenges exist in liquids.

SCI doesn’t dissolve easily in water on its own—the chemistry is unfavorable (J Cosmet Sci, 2003). Formulators must use special techniques like pairing it with other surfactants, swapping sodium ions for ammonium ions, or emulsifying it to keep it dissolved in liquid products. The sources are limited to bar and in vitro studies; broader claims about efficacy or long-term effects aren’t covered here.

📄 Related Research

Matched by search — not necessarily verified support for every statement above.

• Sun JZ et al. (2003). Solubilization of sodium cocoyl isethionate. J Cosmet Sci.
• Ghosh S et al. (2007). Why is sodium cocoyl isethionate (SCI) mild to the skin barrier? – An in vitro investigation based on the relative sizes of the SCI micelles and the skin aqueous pores. J Cosmet Sci.
• Korting HC et al. (1992). In-use tolerability of two new syndet bars with sodium cocoyl isethionate, disodium lauryl sulfosuccinate and wheat starch as major ingredients in differing relations: results of a cross-over trial. Int J Cosmet Sci.

🧴 Products Containing SODIUM COCOYL ISETHIONATE

• FOAMIE Hyaluron Shampoo
• Shea Moisture Manuka Honey & Yogurt
• Protane Argan Oil of Morocco
• Невская косметика Крем-мыло детское с алоэ вера и подорожником «Ушастый нянь»
• New Flag GmbH Foamie Feste Duschpflege
• Rituals Soin lavant solide cheveux et corps
• KORRES Travel Size Greek Yoghurt Foaming Cream Cleanser
• LoveBar Shampoo Bar Detox & Sebum control
• White Castle Saponetta vegetale tea tree
• L’Erbolario Shampoo Solido con estratti di Camomilla e Calendula
• ООО «НАТУРА СИБЕРИКА» Шампунь для волос «BE-CURL.
• Neutrogena Gel de Limpeza Facial Neutrogena Hydro Boost
• Natura Siberica Shamppoing cheveux colorés et abimés
• l-oreal, L’Oréal Haute Expertise Pure Liss Système soin lissant Shampooing lissage & discipline
• brazilian keratin therapy
• gel dus
• Love Beauty and Planet LOVE BEAUTY AND PLANET Shampooing Solide Vague Volumisante Eau de Coco & Fleur de Mimosa 90g
• Vichy DERCOS Technique – shampooing ultra apaisant cheveux secs ou colorés
• Sanex Biome Protect
• Maui Moisture Bamboo fibers shampoo
• teatree
• OGX Argan Oil Shampoo
• Clinique Fresh Pressed 7-Day System with Pure Vitamin C
• Thayers Witch Hazel Blemish Clearing Cleanser
• Love Beauty and Planet Beloved Green Clay & Eucalyptus Whipped Body Scrub
• Revae Naturals Rosemary shampoo bar
• Null all clean
• Johnson’s Calming Shampoo
• Johnson’s Johnson’s Baby Shampoo
• ATTITUDE Nourishing Shampoo
• Dermalogica Travel Size Special Cleansing Gel
• osea undaria algae wash
• Pacifica Rose Kombucha Flower Powered Face Wash
• BeautyBio The Balance pH Balancing Gel Cleanser
• petal fresh superfoods smooth operator shampoo
• Johnson’s Shampoo Baby
• Briogeo Shampooing revigorant et ultra nourrissant au matcha et à la pomme
• Briogeo Briogeo
• shea moisture daily hydrating shampoo w/coconut milk and acacia senegal
• dr groot shampoo