Database/Cleansing/Sodium Lauroyl Glycinate
Route-dependent · ISO 16128

Is Sodium Lauroyl Glycinate natural?

It depends. The coconut fatty chain and sodium are natural origin; the glycine may be fermented or synthetic.

INCI nameSodium Lauroyl Glycinate
CAS18777-32-7
FormulaC14H26NNaO3 · 279.35 Da
FunctionCleansing · Cleansing Surfactant
FeedstockLauric acid from coconut oil, glycine (natural or…

Why the score varies

This ingredient is made commercially by more than one route, and ISO 16128 scores the feedstock actually used. Without a supplier certificate of origin the value cannot be claimed.

RouteFeedstockNOIShareNotes
natural-origin glycineglycine from fermentation or protein hydrolysis acylated with coconut lauric acid, neutralised with sodium hydroxide1.00minorityevery atom natural or mineral origin
synthetic glycineglycine from chloroacetic acid + ammonia (petrochemical) acylated with coconut lauric acid0.74majoritylauroyl 183.3 Da + Na 23.0 Da natural of 279.4 Da; 206.3/279.4 = 0.74
Ask your supplier. A batch-specific certificate of origin or bio-based carbon test (ASTM D6866) settles which route applies.

How we scored it

Glycine is route-dependent on this site (see Glycine). Sodium lauroyl glycinate 279.4 Da = lauroyl 183.3 Da (coconut, natural) + glycinate C2H3NO2 73.1 Da (route-dependent) + Na 23.0 Da (mineral). Natural glycine: 1.0; synthetic glycine: 0.74.
What counts. ISO 16128-2 scores the atoms that remain in the final ingredient. Reagents, solvents, catalysts and protecting groups used during manufacture leave no mass behind and are not counted.

Where it comes from

Lauric acid from coconut oil, glycine (natural or synthetic) and sodium hydroxide.

In plain English

A mild cleansing surfactant made by combining coconut-derived lauric acid with the amino acid glycine, used in cleansers and shampoos.

CosIng definition: Sodium Lauroyl Glycinate is the organic compound.

Natural alternatives with the same function

Structure

2D structure of Sodium Lauroyl Glycinate

sodium 2-(dodecanoylamino)acetate

PubChem CID 23694635 ↗

References

  1. 1ISO 16128-1:2016 and ISO 16128-2:2017 — Guidelines on technical definitions and criteria for natural and organic cosmetic ingredients and products. ISO, Geneva.
  2. 2Sodium Lauroyl Glycinate. PubChem CID 23694635. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3SODIUM LAUROYL GLYCINATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4SODIUM LAUROYL GLYCINATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=SODIUM%20LAUROYL%20GLYCINATE