Cleansing Agent

Lauryl Glucoside

Reviewed by Rosie · Last updated 18 Aug 2026

What Is Lauryl Glucoside?

A mild non-ionic surfactant made from coconut or palm-derived lauryl alcohol and glucose. It belongs to the alkyl polyglucoside family, which is the group most often reached for when a cleanser needs to be gentle. It produces a soft, low foam rather than the dense lather of harsher surfactants. That is a formulation trade-off, not a shortcoming — the same properties that limit the foam are what make it kind to the barrier.

How It Works

A surfactant molecule has a water-loving head and an oil-loving tail. The tails surround oil and grime, the heads face outward towards water, and the whole bundle rinses away. Lauryl glucoside is non-ionic, meaning it carries no electrical charge. Charged surfactants such as sulfates bind more aggressively to skin proteins, which is what leaves that tight, stripped feeling. Without a charge, this one cleans with much less disruption to the barrier, which is why it appears in cleansers aimed at sensitive skin.

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Part of a family

Lauryl Glucoside is a variant of Coco-Glucoside, the form you will most often see on an ingredients list.

Mixture of a fatty alcohol from coconut oil and the sugar glucose

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