LAURETH-23
LAURETH-23 is a nonionic surfactant in the fatty alcohol ethoxylate family. Its chemical description combines a dodecyl chain with a poly(oxyethylene) portion, a structure that can interact with water as well as oily material during cleansing. That is why it can appear in rinse-off products designed to spread and lift oily residue.
LAURETH-23: what it is
LAURETH-23 is a nonionic surfactant in the fatty alcohol ethoxylate family. Its chemical description combines a dodecyl chain with a poly(oxyethylene) portion, a structure that can interact with water as well as oily material during cleansing. That is why it can appear in rinse-off products designed to spread and lift oily residue.
The name may resemble that of an oil or extract, but LAURETH-23 identifies this ethoxylated substance rather than a plant. The number 23 distinguishes it from other Laureth ingredients: it marks a variation in the poly(oxyethylene) portion, which can affect how a surfactant behaves in a formula. In cleansing products, it has been studied as a primary fatty alcohol ethoxylate surfactant.
LAURETH-23: what it does in cosmetics
In a rinse-off cosmetic, LAURETH-23 helps water loosen and carry away oil, residue, and particles from a surface. Its emulsifying action can also help watery and oily phases stay more evenly distributed in the product, rather than separating quickly during use.
A study in healthy adults evaluated LAURETH-23 as a primary surfactant in cleansing systems, measuring irritation markers after occlusive patch testing as well as cleansing performance. The findings applied to the combinations tested; a system with cocamidopropyl betaine and disodium laureth sulfosuccinate showed good skin compatibility and cleansing in that experiment. This does not mean every product containing LAURETH-23 will perform the same way, because the full surfactant combination was part of the test.
Products containing this ingredient
See which products include it and the name used in each composition.
