Decyl glucoside is a non-ionic surfactant that is used as a foaming, cleansing, conditioning, or emulsifying agent. It can be used as a base surfactant or a co-surfactant in cleansers. It has excellent foaming capacity and good dermatological compatibility. It can be used alongside other glucosides to enhance the foam and skin conditioning properties. It can also be used in ionic formulations to add foam depth and emulsifying properties.

Have you ever wondered what makes your bath products, baby products, cleaning products and hair care products to lather so much? It is because of the surfactants. Surfactants play an important role in the beauty industry. It acts as a key ingredient in many skincare and haircare products. Surfactants are chemical compounds which help to reduce the surface tension between liquids and solids, between liquids and gases, between two liquids.  The word surfactant is derived from the ‘surface-active-agent’. These surfactants act as emulsifiers, wetting agents, foaming agents and dispersants in all the beauty products. Hence, these surfactants act as key ingredients in many skincare and haircare products.

Today we are going to discuss one such surfactant-i.e Decyl Glucoside which is used in many beauty products to enhance their foaming capability. Many times, you might have come across Decyl Glucoside in the list of ingredients in the majority of your favourite shampoos, hair dyes, hair colours, mousses, body washes, baby bath products.

What Is Decyl Glucoside?

Decyl Glucoside is a gentle non-ionic surfactant which is used in the majority of skincare and hair care formulations. Decyl Glucoside is slightly yellowish, turbid liquid which is quite viscous in nature. It is very mild and gentle, hence ideal to be used by people with sensitive skin types. This mild cleanser which is a plant derivative is biodegradable and suitable for all hair types. Hence, Decyl Glucoside is extensively used in many natural and organic beauty products. Due to its mild cleansing properties, Decyl Glucoside is used in many baby products such as kids soaps, shampoos and baby washes etc. Decyl Glucoside is used as a primary surfactant in many hair care products, because of its gentle cleansing and foaming properties. It is also used as a thickening agent in many skincare and hair care formulations.

Decyl Glucoside is an ideal choice for skincare and hair care products because it is gentle and mild, hence safe to use even on sensitive skin. In many natural skin care and hair care products, Decyl Glucoside has replaced sulfates which are considered to be harmful to your skin and hair.

Is Decyl Glucoside Natural? 

Decyl Glucoside is 100% natural as it a biodegradable plant derivative. It is derived from natural resources and is produced by combining fatty alcohol present in coconut with glucose present in starch and sugar. Decyl Glucoside is considered to be non-toxic and non-irritant, Hence it has found its uses in personal care products, beauty products, bath products and baby products as well.

It gets absorbed into the skin easily and gently cleanses, nourishes and moisturizes your skin and hair.

Typically, Decyl Glucoside is considered to be non-irritating, non-allergic, non-toxic, non-carcinogenic and is considered to be safe for topical application. These non-ionic surfactants do not irritate or dry out the skin.  Its superior foaming property makes it an ideal choice for bath products like a bubble bath. In order to achieve higher foaming ability, Decyl Glucoside is combined with other surfactants.

What Are The Products In Which Decyl Glucoside Is Used? 

Decyl Glucoside is considered to be a mild surfactant which does not irritate your skin and hence extensively used in many skincare and hair care products, baby products, cleaning products, personal care products such as

• Shampoos
• Conditioners
• Mousse
• Skin Cleansers
• Skincare Ointments
• Shower Gels
• Bubble Baths
• Bath Oils
• Body Washes
• Liquid Hand Washes
• Wipes
• Shaving Foams
• Tooth Pastes
• Hair Colours
• Hair Straightening Products
• Baby Products
• Detergents

Due to its thickening and foaming abilities, Decyl Glucoside is widely used in almost all the products that we use our daily life.

Benefits Of Decyl Glucoside In Haircare Products 

Among all the surfactants, Decyl Glucoside is considered to be very mild and gentle to be used on the skin. It is devoid of any toxic substances, it is non-allergic, non-irritating, hence used in a wide range of beauty and personal care products. Let us know some of the benefits of Decyl Glucoside:-

1. As a surfactant, Decyl Glucoside is known to improve the products ability to wet surfaces and form lather which is long-lasting and stable which makes it a perfect choice for many shampoos, conditioners, mousses and hair colourants.
2. This plant derivate is gentle and mild on all hair types.
3. It does not irritate your scalp. It gets absorbed into the skin easily and moisturizes your scalp and hence widely used in anti-dandruff shampoos.
4. Decyl Glucoside is considered to be one of the few surfactants which is 100% natural as it is obtained from natural renewable resources and does not produce ethylene oxide which is a by-product that is formed during the process of manufacturing.
5. Decyl Glucoside is biodegradable, non-toxic and environment friendly surfactant which is safe for topical applications.
6. It also helps to retain the moisture balance of your scalp and maintains the correct pH balance, thereby preventing dry, itchy scalp and helps to maintain a healthy scalp.
7. Its anti-inflammatory property helps to soothe the dry and irritated scalp, thus preventing dandruff.
8. It’s excellent foaming ability and moisture-retaining power makes it an ideal choice for shampoos, conditioners and mousses.
9. Being a surfactant, Decyl Glucoside reduces the surface tension between 2 liquids i.e oil and water and helps to remove oil and dirt from your hair while washing.
10. Decyl Glucoside is fully compatible with other surfactants in the formulations, thereby enhancing its cleansing and foaming ability.
11. Decyl Glucoside also acts as a thickening agent in many hair care formulations.
12. It is readily soluble in water, hence used in a wide range of hair care formulations.
13. Decyl Glucoside is known to possess binding properties, due to which it retains the moisture in your hair, making your soft, smooth and shiny.

Because of the incredible properties of Decyl Glucoside, it is widely used in beauty products, baby products and personal hygiene products. Among the ionic surfactants, Decyl Glucoside is considered to be the safest, as it is derived from nature, it is completely safe on your skin.

Uses Of Decyl Glucoside 

Most of the people thick surfactants to be mere cleaners but actually they do a lot more than just cleaning. It is used in a wide range of beauty and personal care products. Let us find out some of the common uses of Decyl Glucoside:

1. As a non-ionic surfactant Decyl Glucoside works by wrapping around oil and lowering its surface tension so that you can get rid of dirt along with grime while washing. Due to this property, Decyl Glucoside is extensively used in anti-dandruff shampoos, hair conditioners, gels.
2. Decyl Glucoside helps to solubilise the oils, active ingredients and extracts in the formulation, thus giving a crystal clear formulation.
3. You can always use Decyl Glucoside as a room spray solubiliser. Adding 3 part of Decyl Glucoside to 1 part of perfume can fill your room with fragrance and freshness, that you might have experienced never before.
4. Decyl Glucoside can be a great addition to emulsions, like creams, lotions and enhances its skin cleansing property. 1-5% will be sufficient as anything more than this can compete with an emulsifier and destabilize the formula.
5. Being mild and gentle on your skin, Decyl Glucoside can be used in products which stay on your skin for a longer time, such as face masks. You can add little Decyl Glucoside to your face mask, as they are difficult to remove after some time. It will also enhance the cleansing property of your mask.
6. Decyl Glucoside can be used in makeup removing solutions. 1-4% of Decyl Glucoside can be added to water-based makeup removers and you can get rid of all the dirt, grime and makeup from your face in no time.
7. Decyl Glucoside not only acts as a mild, nonionic surfactant but possesses excellent cleansing properties as well, hence can be paired with other nonionic, anionic or amphoteric surfactants, thereby providing an excellent alternative for sulphate free cleaning products with enhanced performance.

Also Read : Are Sulphates Good or Bad

These are some of the best uses of Decyl Glucoside. Being mild and gentle on your skin, and enhancing the foaming property, Decyl Glucoside has a wide range of uses. Decyl Glucoside frequently keeps popping up every now and then in the ingredient list of your favourite haircare and skincare range.

Side Effects Of Decyl Glucoside 

Decyl Glucoside is the only nonionic surfactant which is free from toxins and is generally considered to be mild on your skin. As it is non-irritating and non-allergic, it is used extensively in baby bath products. Decyl Glucoside is suitable for sensitive skin as well. Decyl Glucoside is 100% natural and environmentally friendly as it does not produce any toxic substances during the manufacturing process. Hence, Decyl Glucoside is generally considered to be safe for topical application, with no reported side effects.