Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
What Is It?
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate is an ingredient derived from coconut oil. In cosmetics and personal care products, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate is used primarily in the preparation of bath soaps and cleansing products. This ingredient is also used in the formulation of shampoos, tonics, dressings, other hair grooming aids and skin cleansing preparations.
Why Is It Used?
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate cleans the skin and hair by helping water to mix with oil and dirt so that they can be rinsed away.
Scientific Facts
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate is a fine white powder. It has a mild odor and can be prepared from the fatty acidA natural organic compound that consists of a carboxyl group (oxygen, carbon and hydrogen) attached to a chain of carbon atoms with their associated hydrogen atoms. The chain of carbon atoms may be connected with single bonds, making a ‘saturated’ fat; or it may contain some double bonds, making an ‘unsaturated’ fat. The number of carbon and hydrogen atoms in the chain is what determines the qualities of that particular fatty acid. Animal and vegetable fats are made up of various combinations of fatty acids (in sets of three) connected to a glycerol molecule, making them triglycerides. mixture from coconut oil.
Safety Information
The safety of Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate has been assessed by the Cosmetic Ingredient ReviewThe Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) was established in 1976 as an independent safety review program for cosmetic ingredients. The CIR Expert Panel consists of independent experts in dermatology, toxicology, pharmacolgy and veterinary medicine. The CIR includes participation by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration and the Consumer Federation of America. (CIR) Expert Panel. The CIR Expert Panel evaluated the scientific data and concluded that Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate was safe for use as a cosmetic ingredient at 50% in rinse-off products and 17% in leave-on products.
CIR Safety Review: The greatest concentration of Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate tested as a rinse-off product was 49.87%. The greatest concentration of Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate tested as a leave-on product was 17%. Therefore, the CIR Expert Panel used these concentrations in drawing its conclusion about safety. The CIR Expert Panel commented that Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate might produce ocular irritation based on its chemical structure.
The irritant effects produced by Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate were similar to those produced by other surfactants, with the severity of irritation increasing with increasing concentration. Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate may be used in cosmetics and personal care products marketed in Europe according to the general provisions of the Cosmetics Regulation of the European UnionUnder the general provisions of the cosmetics regulation of the EU, ingredients appearing on the following function-specific annexes must comply with the listed restrictions and/or specifications: colorants (Annex IV), preservatives (Annex V), UV filters (Annex VI) and other ingredients with specific concentration limits and/or other restrictions (Annex III). Ingredients specifically prohibited from use in cosmetic products are listed in Annex II. Other ingredients listed in the EU cosmetic ingredient database (CosIng) may be used without restrictions..
Link to the EU Cosmetic Regulation:
http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/consumers/product_labelling_and_p…
More Scientific Information
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate is the sodium salt of the coconut fatty acid ester of isethionic acid, used as a surfactantAn ingredient that helps two substances that normally do not mix to become dissolved or dispersed in one another. Also called a surface active agent. – cleansing agent in cosmetic products. Surfactant – cleansing agents are used for skin and hair-cleaning purposes and as emulsifiers in cosmetics. In this function, surfactants wet body surfaces, emulsify or solubilize oils, and suspend soil. It is characteristic (and expected by some consumers) that such agents should contribute foaming and lathering properties to cleansing products and bubble baths.
Resources
Search the Code of Federal Regulations http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/cfrsearch.cfm
EU Cosmetics Inventory http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/cosmetics/cosing/