An ethoxylated lauryl alcohol used as an emulsifier and cleansing ingredient.
What it is
Laureth-25 is a polyethylene glycol ether of lauryl alcohol (C12) with an average of 25 ethylene oxide units. It is a nonionic surfactant. CosIng lists it as a cleansing, emulsifying and cleansing surfactant ingredient.
Where it is used
Found in 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 number in the name is an average; the material contains chains of different lengths.
Functions
- Cleansing
- Helping to keep the body surface clean.
- Surfactant – emulsifying
- Helping suspensions or dispersions of liquids in a second liquid by reducing the surface tension of the substances to be emulsified.
- 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.

