Ingredient glossary / Cleansing agent
Sodium cocoyl isethionate
On the label: Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate · Cleansing agent
What it is
A gentle surfactant from coconut fatty acids; the cleansing agent in many syndet (non-soap) bars and creamy face washes.
Cleansing agents: Surfactants lift oil and dirt so water can carry them off; the cleaning part of any wash, and what makes it foam.
Wikidata: Chemical compound. Q1969729 →
In the research
7 PubMed papers mention it with skin, cosmetics or hair; the three most recent:
- Influence of anionic surfactants on coacervation with cationic guar gum for hair care applications · International journal of cosmetic science, 2026
- Visualization and quantification of skin barrier perturbation induced by surfactant-humectant systems using two-photon fluorescence microscopy · Journal of cosmetic science, 2008
- Why is sodium cocoyl isethionate (SCI) mild to the skin barrier? - An in vitro investigation based on the relative sizes of the SCI micelles and the skin aqueous pores · Journal of cosmetic science, 2007
A paper is a paper, not a verdict: titles are listed so you can read them, and a study on cells or mice says little about a cream on a face.
Other cleansing agents
Dew & Balm describes ingredients from the public record and makes no claim about what a product will do for you. Statements about dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the FDA. If a product causes a reaction, stop using it; a reaction that spreads or affects breathing is a call to a doctor or 911.