Coco-Glucoside

Coco-glucoside is a non-ionic sugar-based surfactant used mainly in cleansers and shampoos (often a few percent up to ~10%+) and is generally milder than sulfates, but it can still disrupt the skin barrier and cause stinging or dryness, especially with frequent use. Human patch testing and real-world reports show occasional irritation and rare allergic contact dermatitis, with higher risk in eczema-prone or highly reactive patients. Given its surfactant/barrier-stripping potential at typical use levels, I rate it as mild rather than truly gentle for compromised skin. Safety Notes: In commercial skincare and personal-cleansing products, coco-glucoside is often used at very low levels (~0.1–1%) as a secondary nonionic surfactant/solubilizer or foam booster in rinse-off washes and micellar-type cleansers. Typical primary-surfactant usage in consumer rinse-off facial/body cleansers and shampoos is commonly in the mid-single digits to teens (often expressed as supplied material rather than active), while high-strength sulfate-free cleansing concentrates and “paste/solid” cleansers available OTC can reach ~25–35% as-formulated to build viscosity and structure. It is uncommon in leave-on products except at low levels (generally ≤1–3%) due to potential tackiness/irritation and the need for surfactant removal.