Database/Cleansing/Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate
Mostly natural · ISO 16128

Is Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate natural?

Mostly. Coconut-derived lauryl alcohol and the mineral sulfonate are natural; the acetate linker traces to petrochemical chloroacetic acid.

INCI nameSodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate
CAS1847-58-1
FormulaC14H27NaO5S · 330.42 Da
FunctionCleansing · Foaming
FeedstockMade by esterifying lauryl alcohol, typically from coconut…

How we scored it

Lauryl alcohol ester (C12 oleochemical, natural) 185 + SO3Na (mineral, natural) 103 = 288; chloroacetate-derived -CO-CH2- linker (petrochemical) 42 -> 288/330 = 0.87
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

Made by esterifying lauryl alcohol, typically from coconut oil, with sulfoacetic acid, which is manufactured from petrochemical chloroacetic acid and sodium sulfite. The coconut-derived portion dominates the mass.

In plain English

A mild foaming cleanser used in bar soaps and bath products, popular in "soap-free" formulas. Most of its weight comes from coconut-derived lauryl alcohol; the small linking group is made synthetically.

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Structure

2D structure of Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate

sodium 2-dodecoxy-2-oxoethanesulfonate

PubChem CID 23668827 ↗

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 Lauryl Sulfoacetate. PubChem CID 23668827. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3SODIUM LAURYL SULFOACETATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4SODIUM LAURYL SULFOACETATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=SODIUM%20LAURYL%20SULFOACETATE