Coco-Glucoside: the chemistry of a mild non-ionic shampoo surfactant

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Definition. Coco-Glucoside is a non-ionic surfactant of the alkyl polyglucoside (APG) family: a mixture of glucosides obtained by linking fatty alcohols derived from coconut oil (C8 to C16 chains) to glucose through a glycosidic bond. Its hydrophilic head is a sugar and carries no electrical charge, which is why shampoos use it as a mild co-surfactant alongside anionic and amphoteric surfactants.

Key facts

  • INCI name: Coco-Glucoside (CAS 141464-42-8), average molar mass of about 423 g/mol
  • Family: alkyl polyglucosides, non-ionic surfactants with a sugar head
  • Raw material: aqueous solution with 51-53% active matter, pH 11.5-12.5, unpreserved
  • Biodegradability: above the OECD ready biodegradability threshold (60%)
  • Safety: CIR 2013, safe in current use when formulated to be non-irritating; ACDS Allergen of the Year 2017

What is Coco-Glucoside and how is it made?

Alkyl polyglucosides go back to a reaction described by Emil Fischer in 1893: the glycosidation of a sugar with an alcohol in the presence of an acid catalyst. Industrially, glucose reacts with a fatty alcohol, mostly at 110 to 120 °C with conventional acid catalysts. The product is not a single molecule but a mixture of mono- and oligoglucosides, characterised by an average degree of polymerisation, that is, the average number of glucose units per fatty chain.

The INCI name tells you the starting alcohol. Coco-Glucoside means coconut fatty alcohols; you will also find Decyl Glucoside, Lauryl Glucoside or Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, built on different chain cuts. BASF supplies its reference Plantacare 818 UP, a C8-16 Coco-Glucoside, as a cloudy, viscous aqueous solution with 51-53% active matter, which may crystallise below 15 °C without loss of quality.

Why does a non-ionic surfactant behave differently?

Most cleansing bases rely on anionic surfactants such as Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, whose head carries a negative charge. In Coco-Glucoside the hydrophilic part is the glucose itself: its hydroxyl groups bind water through hydrogen bonds, without ionisation. The molecule therefore adds no charge to the formula and forms no electrostatic complexes with cationic polymers such as cationic guar or Polyquaternium.

The glycosidic bond is chemically an acetal and is stable in alkaline conditions. This explains the commercial form: the raw material is supplied at pH 11.5-12.5, which allows it to be sold without preservatives. According to the BASF technical sheet, the turbidity disappears when the pH drops below 7. The formulator therefore brings the shampoo back to the usual pH range, which is why INCI lists containing a glucoside often include an acid, citric or tartaric.

What does the critical micelle concentration of APGs show?

Above the critical micelle concentration (CMC), surfactant molecules assemble into micelles, the structures that trap sebum and residues. For APGs, the CMC falls sharply as the fatty chain gets longer. A review published in RSC Advances in 2025 reports 1.71 mmol/L for a C8 APG, 0.78 mmol/L for C10, 0.30 mmol/L for C12 and 0.03 mmol/L for C14. For reference, the CMC of sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) in water is around 8 mmol/L.

The same review notes that C8-C14 APGs dissolve well, lower surface tension strongly and foam well: short chains bring solubility and foam, longer chains bring cleansing power. A Coco-Glucoside, covering C8 to C16, combines both behaviours.

What role does Coco-Glucoside play in a shampoo?

The functions in the European cosmetic nomenclature are cleansing, foaming and cleansing surfactant. In professional shampoos it is rarely the main base. It usually acts as a co-surfactant, next to an anionic and an amphoteric such as Cocamidopropyl Betaine, to complete the foam and soften the profile of the cleansing base. It is a common choice in sulfate-free formulations, like isethionates and amino acid surfactants.

For professionals, the position in the INCI list remains the simplest clue: a glucoside in fourth or fifth place plays a supporting role, while a glucoside in second place points to a non-ionic base. Both are found on the market, with a different feel during the wash.

Is Coco-Glucoside safe for the scalp?

In 2013 the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel assessed 19 alkyl glucosides and found them safe in the present practices of use and concentration when formulated to be non-irritating. The Panel also relied on data for fatty alcohols, because these glucosides are likely broken down in the skin into fatty alcohol and glucose. In rats, the oral LD50 values of C8-C14 APGs exceed 5000 mg/kg, and these surfactants pass the OECD ready biodegradability threshold.

The caveat is contact allergy. The American Contact Dermatitis Society named alkyl glucosides Allergen of the Year 2017. In the North American NACDG network, sensitisation to Decyl Glucoside rose from 1.5% of patients tested (2009-2012) to 1.7% (2013-2014). Most reactions were linked to leave-on products such as moisturisers and hand creams, but shampoos are also among the sources. Cross-reactions between glucosides are common, and these molecules are not part of the T.R.U.E. Test series: with a sensitised client, check the whole family in the INCI list, including Decyl, Lauryl, Coco and Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside.

Hairswiss takeaway

Coco-Glucoside is a non-ionic surfactant with a sugar head, made from coconut fatty alcohol and glucose, with no electrical charge, compatible with cationic polymers and readily biodegradable. In a shampoo it mainly adds foam and mildness to an anionic or amphoteric base. It is well tolerated by the great majority of people, but glucoside allergy exists and calls for a careful reading of the INCI list with sensitised clients.

Also on Hairswiss: Sulfate-free formulations · Cocamidopropyl Betaine · PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate

Which shampoos with Coco-Glucoside are on cliCHair?

Regeneration Therapy Shampoo 250 by Edelstein, which Swiss professionals find on cliCHair.ch, combines Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Coco-Glucoside and Cocamidopropyl Betaine: the glucoside plays its typical co-surfactant role here, alongside hydrolysed keratin, Sodium Hyaluronate and Polyquaternium-10.

→ Regeneration Therapy Shampoo 250 on cliCHair.ch

Xflex Beard Shampoo by Edelstein, for the beard, lists Coco-Glucoside in fourth place, after the olefin sulfonate and glycerin, with Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Panthenol and Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride.

→ Xflex Beard Shampoo on cliCHair.ch

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