This is another scary-sounding ingredient that isn’t all that bad. It is generally made with coconut oil but it can be synthetically produced too. It is in top-rated and loved skincare products for its cleansing and foaming properties.
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Like that foamy, bubbly effect face wash has? That’s what this ingredient does. It’s considered safe to use in skincare with some restrictions.
What Is Cocamidopropyl Dimethylamine?
Cocamidopropyl dimethylamine is a surfactant (cleanser) and antistatic agent that’s derived from coconut oil. It can also be produced synthetically from lab ingredients. It’s comes from a chemical reaction between 3-dimethylaminopropylamine, a common amine used as an ingredient in many soaps and cleansers, and coconut oil.
The result is a skincare and hair care ingredient that has great foaming properties and helps cleanse and moisturize the skin. This ingredient is found in a lot of rinse-off products like soaps, body washes, facial cleansers, and other such personal care and skincare products.
It is very similar to Cocamidopropyl betaine, which is a mixture of coconut oil and betaine.
The Uses & Benefits Of Cocamidopropyl Dimethylamine In Skincare
Wondering about Cocamidopropyl dimethylamine skin benefits? This surfactant has a variety of uses and purposes in hair care and skin care products.
Cleansing properties
As both a surfactant and antistatic agent, Cocamidopropyl dimethylamine can help water, oil, and dirt interact to wash off impurities, cleaning the skin or hair. It’s typically used along with other surfactants to enhance its cleansing properties for skin and hair.
Hair and skin conditioner
It can be used to help condition and moisturize the hair and skin, along with other moisturizing humectant ingredients.
Emulsifier
Helps emulsify and stabilize otherwise immiscible (non-mixable) ingredients like water, oil, and alcohol. Together with other emulsifiers and thickeners, it ensures the proper texture and helps prevent products from splitting and separating.
Is Cocamidopropyl Dimethylamine Vegan?
Yes. This product is typically derived from coconut oil so it’s completely plant-based. It can also be chemically synthesized in a laboratory setting, and the resulting product is also vegan since it does not involve any animal products.
Since Cocamidopropyl dimethylamine is often used alongside many other surfactants and ingredients in skincare and hair care products, you should always shop from reputable brands, and check labels carefully to ensure you do not buy skincare products with animal-derived ingredients.
Is Cocamidopropyl Dimethylamine Safe?
For the most part, Cocamidopropyl dimethylamine in skin care is considered to be safe. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) board determined that it is safe for skincare and hair care products in standard concentrations, and when used in products that are designed to be rinsed off the skin, rather than left on the skin for a long period of time.
However, this product can be sensitizing to the skin in high concentrations, and cause reactions and contact dermatitis. If you have sensitive skin, it may be a good idea to test products containing this ingredient on a small patch of skin before regular use.
Concerns
Cocamidopropyl dimethylamine has no other major concerns. It is not carcinogenic and is not known to be a toxin to wildlife or in water supplies, though few studies have been done on these effects.
Also Known As
The term “Cocamidopropyl dimethylamine” the most common. However, you may occasionally see this ingredient listed or labeled as Curcylic™ 40 when it’s combined with salicylic acid.
Curcylic™ 40 is a new form of salicylic acid that is water soluble and can be used in cold process formulations. It is also sometimes called coconut fatty acid.
Other Coconut-based ingredients you may find interesting:
