Lauryl glucoside is a mild, nonionic surfactant derived from natural raw materials and is readily biodegradable. Like other alkyl polyglucosides (APGs), it combines the formulation flexibility of typical nonionics with the rich foaming properties of anionic surfactants, delivering superior performance. It is commonly incorporated into shampoos, bubble baths, body washes, facial cleansers, and hand soaps, where it provides effective cleansing and foaming while preserving the skin’s and hair’s natural oils. Thanks to its exceptional mildness and irritation-reducing qualities, it is also well-suited for baby care products and formulations for sensitive skin or scalp.
Beyond its excellent detergency, lauryl glucoside provides notable processing benefits across a wide range of cleaning formulations. It enhances wetting, dispersing, and interfacial tension reduction, thereby improving soil removal and emulsification. It is compatible with all surfactant types and often shows synergistic effects, especially when used with CAPB, SLES, or hard-to-thicken surfactants such as sulfosuccinates. When used as a co-surfactant, it enables a reduction in the total active ingredient content of foaming formulations while maintaining performance. Additionally, lauryl glucoside offers strong dermatological compatibility, good conditioning properties, and the ability to boost detergent viscosity. It also demonstrates excellent resistance to alkalis and electrolytes, maintains stability under acidic conditions, and shows high efficacy in salicylic acid formulations.
Compared to decyl glucoside, lauryl glucoside has a thicker texture and contributes to improved viscosity. Although it can be difficult to thicken on its own, it exhibits excellent salt-thickening properties when combined with anionic surfactants.
