Decyl Glucoside (Ingredient Encyclopedia)

Decyl Glucoside - is part of a category of surfactants called Glucosides. Glucosides are commonly known as a more a gentle and mild non-ionic surfactant that creates lather, foam and cleanses the skin. It can be used in face washes, body washes, shampoos and other foaming products. Can be used as the main surfactant or paired with another surfactant. Commonly used in natural and organic products, products for those with sensitive skin and baby products. This is becoming a very popular surfactant with the growing want of “natural” & “clean” ingredients. The issues with decal glucosides and other glucosides is that they do have a high pH so you need to make sure you are lowing the pH to benefit from their “mildness” and “gentleness”. Unlike other surfactants glucosides can’t be thickened with Salt. So you usually need to use gums to thicken them.

AKA - “Alkyl(c8,c10)polyglycoside, APG0810, (C8-10)Alkyl ether of corn sugar D-Glucopyranoside, decyl, D-Glucopyranose, oligomeric, decyl octyl glycosides, D-glucose, decyl octyl ethers, oligomeric, Decyl D-glucopyranoside, Decyl D-glucoside, Decyl octyl d-glucose.” - SOURCE

INCI; Decyl Glucoside 

Skin & Hair Benefits - This is a gentle and mild surfactant that will help cleanse the skin and hair. Can be used on it’s own, as the main surfactant or paired with another surfactant, as the co surfactant. It is most commonly paired with an anionic or amphoteric surfactant, but could also be mixed with another non-ionic surfactant. Experiment to see what combo you like. I personally like to pair it with Sodium C-14 C-16 Alpha Olefin Sulfonate (AOS 40) , Foaming Apple, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, or Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate Powder (SCI) to name a few.

What products to use it in - Shampoos, Body Washes, Face Washes, Baby Cleansing products, Micellar waters. You may find it in store bought lotions and creams at low percentages, but I don’t see a use for Decyl Glucoside in homemade lotions and cream. So I recommend to stick with using it in foaming products. 

Why you would use in a product - To help cleanse the skin or hair to remove dirt and oil. It’s aa very gentle and mild ingredient so it’s a “less harsh” surfactant compared to others. 

Solubility - Water Soluble

Usage Rate - 2% - 30% (check with the supplier you buy yours from)

Charge - non-ionic

Must know! - You can thicken Decyl Glucoside with natural polymers like Xanthan Gum Soft, Tara Gum (Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum), Sclerotium Gum, Carrageenan, Solagum AX, to name a few. My personal favorite is Xanthan Gum Soft. 

How to Formulate with it - If you are using it in a face wash, body wash, or shampoo with a fragrance oil, I would mix the fragrance oil with the Decyl Glucoside first. If you are using another surfactant I would then add in that surfactant and mix them all together. Then gently pour in your water phase. If you want to thicken up the Decyl Glucoside. Then mix about 5% glycerin or propandiol with 0.5% - 2%  Xanthan Gum Soft add in the distilled water and mix, then pour that mixture into your Decyl Glucoside/surfactant/fragrance oil mixture. 

pH as supplied - 11-12 so make sure you are lowering the pH when using Decyl Glucoside

pH it’s stable in - 3-5

HLB - 12-15

Appearance - clear to light yellow to Amber viscous liquid

Shelf Life - 12 months,  but check with your supplier

Heat Sensitive? - No

Vegan? - Yes

Ecocert? - Yes

Cosmos? - Yes

Natural? - Yes

Emulsions - not typically used in emulsions although you will see some store bought creams or lotions containing it, but I don’t think home crafters usually use it in emulsions.

Watery Solutions (Toners, Essences, Serums, Cleansers/Washes) - can be mixed directly into watery solutions, but keep in mind that it does lather. So add it in last and mix gently. It also works as a solubilizing agent for fragrance oils. So if you are adding in a fragrance oil mix the fragrance oil with the Decyl Glucoside first before adding in the rest of the ingredients.

Personal Opinion - I love using Decyl Glucoside as a co surfactant. Mine is from formulator sample shop and it’s clear, so I love how its natural color does mess with the final color of my cleansers. I like to use it in face washes, shampoos, and conditioners and I have paired it with Sodium C-14 C-16 Alpha Olefin Sulfonate (AOS 40) , Foaming Apple, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, or Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate Powder (SCI) to name a few.

Substitutions - Coco Glucoside, Caprylyl Capryl Glucoside or other glucoside of choice. 

Known Irritations or Side Effects - could cause irritation like contact dermatitis so do a patch test - source

FDA Regulations - There are no regulations for this ingredient. Just use within the recommended amount

How it’s Sourced - “Decyl glucoside is produced by the reaction of glucose from corn starch with the fatty alcohol decanol, which is derived from coconut." - SOURCE

Where to purchase Decyl Glucoside 

For a full list of suppliers click here 

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