CosmeticBet
Cleansers

Coco-glucoside

INCI: COCO-GLUCOSIDE · also An alkyl glucoside, Alkyl polyglucoside (APG)

A very gentle cleanser built on sugar.

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C18H36O6348.50 g/mol
Shown with a C12 (lauryl) chain
oxygencarbonhydrogen
3D shape from PubChem 10893439

How common

All products5.7%
In shower gels20%
In shampoos14%
In hair colours14%

843 of 14,784 products with a full ingredient list in Open Beauty Facts; No. 49 of all the names found on their labels.

What it is

  • A cleanser (surfactant) from the alkyl glucosides: glucose joined to a fatty chain. Skin enzymes are likely to split it back into the two.

    2 sourcesHide
    Most of these ingredients function as surfactants in cosmetics[1] US Cosmetic Ingredient Review expert panel · 2013 · open source
    glucoside hydrolases in human skin are likely to break down these ingredients to release their respective fatty acids and glucose[1] US Cosmetic Ingredient Review expert panel · 2013 · open source

Why it is in products

  • To clean and foam gently, often as a second cleanser.

    SourceHide
    Most of these ingredients function as surfactants in cosmetics[1] US Cosmetic Ingredient Review expert panel · 2013 · open source

What it does

  • Very gentle on skin: in patch tests at rising strengths, irritation from an alkyl polyglucoside was hard to detect even at the highest one, while SLS caused a pronounced reaction.

    Good evidenceskin2 sourcesHide
    Even at the highest concentration the skin reaction to APG was hard to detect.[2] Study · 2003 · open source
    We found a pronounced reaction to SLS[2] Study · 2003 · open source

Downsides and safety

  • The US panel’s verdict: safe when formulated not to irritate.

    Well establishedSourceHide
    safe in the present practices of use and concentration when formulated to be nonirritating[1] US Cosmetic Ingredient Review expert panel · 2013 · open source

Where it works

Surface (cuticle)Inside (cortex)Core (medulla)

On the surface of hair and scalp, in products that are rinsed off.

SourceHide
Most of these ingredients function as surfactants in cosmetics[1] US Cosmetic Ingredient Review expert panel · 2013 · open source

Rules

European Union

  • No EU limit: it is not on the regulation’s lists of banned or restricted substances, preservatives or UV filters.

    How we checkedHide
    We searched Annexes II to VI of the EU regulation (consolidated text of 18 May 2026): no entry.open the list

United States

  • Not on the FDA’s list of prohibited or restricted cosmetic ingredients. In the US, cosmetics and their ingredients (other than colour additives) don’t need FDA approval before sale.

    SourceHide
    Under U.S. law, cosmetic products and ingredients, other than color additives, do not need FDA approval before they go on the market[3] US Food and Drug Administration · open source
    We searched the FDA’s list of prohibited and restricted cosmetic ingredients: no entry.open the list

Sources

  1. Safety assessment of decyl glucoside and other alkyl glucosides as used in cosmetics International journal of toxicology, 2013US Cosmetic Ingredient Review expert panel
  2. Profile of irritant patch testing with detergents: sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate and alkyl polyglucoside Löffler H et al., Contact dermatitis, 2003Study
  3. Prohibited & Restricted Ingredients in Cosmetics | FDA US Food and Drug Administration

Checked against these sources on 4 November 2026. Spot a mistake? Tell us.