Is Decyl Glucoside natural?

Oleochemical C8-C10 fatty alcohols reacted with starch-derived glucose (Fischer glycosidation).

Decyl Glucoside is an alkyl polyglucoside (APG) surfactant synthesized through the Fischer glycosidation reaction. The process involves the direct reaction of an alcohol (in this case, decyl alcohol) with a sugar (glucose).

Industrially, the reaction is typically carried out in the presence of an acid catalyst, such as sulfuric acid or p-toluenesulfonic acid, to facilitate the glycosidic bond formation. The reaction is usually performed under vacuum at elevated temperatures, typically ranging from 80°C to 120°C, to remove the water byproduct and drive the equilibrium towards product formation. Excess glucose may be used to favor the formation of shorter-chain alkyl polyglucosides, or excess decyl alcohol can be used to favor longer chains.

Following the reaction, the crude product is neutralized to remove the acid catalyst. Purification steps are crucial to remove unreacted starting materials, residual catalyst, and byproducts. This often involves distillation to remove excess decyl alcohol, followed by filtration and potentially ion exchange to remove ionic impurities. The final product is usually an aqueous solution, often around 50% active ingredient, as pure Decyl Glucoside is a viscous liquid that is difficult to handle.

Decyl Glucoside is a type of cleansing ingredient commonly found in shampoos, body washes, and facial cleansers. It's known for being very mild and is often used in products designed for sensitive skin or babies. Its primary job is to help water mix with oil and dirt, allowing them to be washed away from your skin and hair.

This ingredient is made from two main components: a sugar (glucose) and an alcohol (decyl alcohol). The sugar part comes from renewable plant sources like corn or sugar cane. The alcohol part, however, is most often made from petroleum-based chemicals, although it can also be derived from plant oils. Because of this mix, it's considered to be 'half renewable' according to the ISO 16128 standard.

CosIng definition: Decyl Glucoside is the product obtained from the condensation of decyl alcohol with glucose