What Is Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate?
Sodium lauroyl sarcosinate is a naturally-occurring ingredient that is derived from the amino acid sarcosine. It is used as a foaming and cleansing ingredient in shampoos, body washes, shaving foams and toothpastes.
Sodium lauroyl sarcosinate is a surfactant which means that due to it being both hydrophilic, water-loving and hydrophobic, water-hating, it is able to lift oils and dirt from the skin. It can often be confused with sodium lauryl sulfate due to the similarity in function and the similarity in the name. However, the two ingredients are different in that sodium lauroyl sarcosinate is considered to be a gentler, milder cleansing ingredient compared to sodium lauryl sulfate.
Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
the good:Sodium lauroyl sarcosinate is a gentle, non-irritating ingredient that helps to improve the foaming and cleansing abilities of formulations.
the not so good:It is often derived from natural ingredients rather than produced synthetically, putting strain on natural resources like coconut oil.
Who is it for?All skin types except those that have an identified allergy to it.
Synergetic ingredients:Works well with most ingredients
Keep an eye on:Keep an eye out for the variety of products that sodium lauroyl sarcosinate is used in.
Keep an eye on:Keep an eye out for the variety of products that sodium lauroyl sarcosinate is used in.
Why Is Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate Used?
Sodium lauroyl sarcosinate is an ingredient used to help improve the foaming ability of a formulation.
As a surfactant sodium lauroyl sarcosinate helps to lift oils and dirt from the skin, leaving you with clean feeling skin. Surfactants are compounds that lower the surface tension between liquids and solids. This ability is due to the sodium lauroyl sarcosinate have a hydrophilic or water loving end to the molecule and a hydrophobic or water hating end to the molecule. This allows sodium lauroyl sarcosinate to bind to both oil and water-based compounds, lifting both from the skin’s surface.
Is Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate Safe?
The safety of sodium lauroyl sarcosinate has been evaluated by the US Food and Drug Administration. Based on the review of the available data, the FDA considers sodium lauroyl sarcosinate to be safe in its indicated uses. It is unlikely to cause irritation or sensitivity and is generally limited to concentrations of 15% in rinse off products.
The safety of sodium lauroyl sarcosinate was also evaluated by The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel, a group responsible for reviewing the safety of skincare and cosmetic ingredients. Their findings were consistent with the recommendations of the FDA.
