Hydrogenated fatty acids from coconut oil, used as an emollient and surfactant.
What it is
Hydrogenated coconut acid is the mixture of fatty acids derived from coconut oil after hydrogenation, which converts the small share of unsaturated acids into saturated ones; lauric and myristic acids predominate. CosIng lists it as an emollient, emulsifying surfactant, skin-conditioning and cleansing surfactant ingredient.
Where it is used
Appears on the ingredient lists of a small number of products.
Limits of interpretation
The INCI list shows which ingredients are present, not how much of each. Above 1%, ingredients are listed in descending order of weight; below 1% the order is free.
The INCI name refers to a mixture of fatty acids, not a single compound.
Functions
- Skin conditioning – emollient
- Acting as lubricants on the skin surface providing the skin with a soft and smooth appearance.
- Surfactant – emulsifying
- Helping suspensions or dispersions of liquids in a second liquid by reducing the surface tension of the substances to be emulsified.
- Skin conditioning
- Maintaining the skin in good condition.
- Surfactant – cleansing
- Wetting body surfaces, emulsifying or solubilizing oils, and suspending soil (generally, such ingredients contribute to the foaming and lathering properties of cleansing products).
EU regulation
This ingredient is not listed in the annexes of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 in the CosIng data.