SODIUM LAURYL SULFOACETATE
Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate is an anionic surfactant. Its structure combines a lauryl chain, which associates with oily material, with a sulfonate-containing part that associates with water. That dual affinity lets oily residue detach and be carried away in rinse water.
SODIUM LAURYL SULFOACETATE: what it is
Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate is an anionic surfactant. Its structure combines a lauryl chain, which associates with oily material, with a sulfonate-containing part that associates with water. That dual affinity lets oily residue detach and be carried away in rinse water.
Despite the similar opening of their names, it is not the same ingredient as Sodium Lauryl Sulfate. In the sulfoacetate, an acetate linkage sits between the lauryl chain and the sulfonate group; that structural difference makes it a distinct substance rather than a botanical extract or an oil.
SODIUM LAURYL SULFOACETATE: what it does in cosmetics
In a cleansing formula, Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate helps disperse oil, residue and particles in water so they can be removed during rinsing. This surfactant action gives a product its cleansing ability without relying on friction alone.
It also contributes to foam formation. Foam makes application more noticeable and can help distribute a product, but foam on its own does not measure cleansing strength or make this ingredient a hydrating or treatment active.
Products containing this ingredient
See which products include it and the name used in each composition.
