Lauryl Glucoside

What is it?

A sugar-derived, non-ionic surfactant used as a mild cleansing or emulsifying agent in personal-care formulations.

What does it do?

According to PubMed, a 2016 randomized controlled trial in 76 volunteers found creams stabilized with a natural alkyl polyglucoside emulsifier (including lauryl glucoside) caused no significant skin irritation after 24-hour occlusion and improved skin hydration without barrier impairment, supporting its use in moisturizers for normal, dry and sensitive skin (DOI: https://doi.org/10.2298/VSP150116122F). However, a 2022 retrospective patch-test study of nearly 25,000 patients by the North American Contact Dermatitis Group found 2.0% of those tested to lauryl and/or decyl glucoside had a positive, often clinically relevant, allergic reaction, most commonly linked to hair products and skin cleansers -- a real, if uncommon, allergy risk worth disclosing alongside its general mildness (DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaad.2022.04.058).

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