PPG-2 Hydroxyethyl Cocamide

PPG-2 Hydroxyethyl Cocamide is a nonionic surfactant/foam booster used in rinse-off cleansers and shampoos (often a few percent) to improve mildness and texture. While generally less irritating than anionic surfactants, surfactant exposure is a well-established trigger for stinging and barrier disruption in eczema and highly reactive skin, especially with frequent cleansing or in leave-on residues. Given its role as a cleansing aid with documented potential for irritant contact dermatitis in susceptible users, I rate it as mild (0.4). Safety Notes: PPG-2 Hydroxyethyl Cocamide is used primarily as a nonionic surfactant/foam booster and viscosity builder in rinse-off cleansers (shampoos, body washes, facial cleansers), where it can appear at low levels (~0.1–0.5%) as a secondary co-surfactant in mild formulas. In mainstream consumer cleansing products it is commonly around ~1–5%, while high-foam/high-viscosity concentrated wash bases and some sulfate-free systems sold retail can reach ~10–15% as a primary/major secondary surfactant; leave-on use is uncommon and typically kept at trace to very low levels due to surfactant-related irritation potential.