Product Overview
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate (SCI) is a coconut-oil-derived anionic surfactant supplied as a free-flowing white powder, flake or granular solid. It is the defining surfactant of the modern syndet bar: mild enough for face and baby care, dense-foaming in hard water, and pH-neutral on skin in a way traditional soap is not. SCI is also the anchor raw material of the fast-growing solid-format category — shampoo bars, conditioner bars, solid facial cleansers and body bars — and is increasingly used as the primary anionic in sulphate-free liquid shampoos where SLES and SLS are being removed.
Key Features
- Cosmetic-grade SCI at high active matter — white to off-white powder, flakes or needles
- Exceptionally mild anionic surfactant; the standard active for syndet, beauty and baby bars
- Dense, creamy, stable lather that performs in hard water without forming lime-soap scum
- pH-neutral profile in use — leaves skin close to its natural pH, unlike alkaline soap
- Coconut-derived, readily biodegradable; palm-free and RSPO-segregated grades available on request
- Solid at room temperature — ideal for anhydrous, water-free, preservative-free formats and plastic-free packaging
- Supplied in powder, granular and pre-dispersed liquid / paste blends to match different processing lines
How It Works
- Mild anionics with a bulky head group: the isethionate ester-linked head group makes the molecule far less aggressive to stratum corneum proteins than sulphate surfactants. SCI sits at the mild end of the anionic scale, which is why it is the reference active for bars positioned against soap and against SLS.
- Hard-water tolerance: unlike fatty-acid soaps, SCI does not precipitate calcium and magnesium salts, so it lathers fully in hard water and leaves no scum ring — the single biggest performance advantage over soap-based bars.
- Lather architecture: SCI generates a dense, creamy, small-bubble foam rather than the big airy bubbles of sulphates. Combined with an amphoteric such as cocamidopropyl betaine, foam volume and stability both increase markedly.
- Solid-format mechanics: SCI softens and plasticises at bar-processing temperatures, letting it be blended with fatty alcohols, butters and waxes and then extruded, stamped or pressed into bars that do not need water or preservatives.
- Skin pH compatibility: SCI-based systems sit naturally around pH 5–7, so cleansed skin is left near its physiological pH rather than at the pH 9–10 left by traditional soap.
Typical Applications
- Solid bar formats: shampoo bars, conditioner bars, syndet and beauty bars, solid facial cleansers, body bars, solid shaving bars, solid tooth-care tablets
- Hair care liquids: sulphate-free shampoos, baby shampoo, scalp-care and anti-dandruff shampoos, co-wash and low-foam cleansers
- Body & facial cleansing: body wash, shower gel, foaming facial cleansers, cleansing mousses, make-up remover foams
- Sensitive & baby care: tear-free and sensitive-skin cleansing concepts, intimate wash, baby wash and baby bar lines
- Oral care: toothpaste and tooth-powder foaming agent where a mild, low-irritancy surfactant is required
- OEM / ODM: finished syndet bars, shampoo bars and sulphate-free liquid lines developed and private-labelled to brief
Key Specifications
| INCI Name | Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate |
|---|---|
| Trade Name | SCI / SCI-85 / Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate powder |
| CAS Number | 61789-32-0 |
| EINECS / EC | 263-052-5 |
| Chemical Type | Anionic surfactant — sodium salt of the coconut fatty-acid ester of isethionic acid |
| Active Matter | ≥ 84% (typical 84–86%) |
| Appearance | White to off-white free-flowing powder, flakes, granules or needles |
| Odour | Faint characteristic, essentially neutral |
| pH (1% aqueous dispersion) | 5.0–6.5 |
| Free Fatty Acid (as lauric) | 5.0–15.0% |
| Sodium Isethionate | ≤ 5.0% |
| Moisture | ≤ 1.5% |
| Water Solubility | Limited in cold water (~0.1 g / 100 mL at 25 °C); improves sharply above 60–70 °C and with co-surfactants |
| Stable pH Range (formulation) | pH 5–9 in finished systems |
| Typical Use Level | 30–60% in syndet and shampoo bars; 3–12% in sulphate-free liquid systems with co-surfactants |
| Shelf Life | 24 months in unopened original packaging |
| Packaging | 20 kg / 25 kg kraft bags or fibre drums; liquid pre-dispersion grades in 200 kg drums (on request) |
| MOQ | Available on request |
Formulation Notes
- SCI is only sparingly soluble in cold water — do not treat it like a liquid surfactant. For bar formats it is processed hot (typically 70–90 °C) with plasticisers such as fatty alcohols, glycerin, butters or glyceryl esters, then extruded or pressed.
- For liquid sulphate-free shampoos, pre-dissolve SCI in warm water (60–70 °C) with an amphoteric such as cocamidopropyl betaine or a glucoside; the co-surfactant both solubilises the SCI and builds the viscosity and foam body.
- A practical starting chassis for a sulphate-free shampoo is 5–8% SCI with 4–6% CAPB and 2–4% coco-glucoside, thickened with salt or a polymeric rheology modifier.
- Because it is anhydrous, SCI-based solid formats generally require no preservative system — a major advantage for preservative-free and minimal-ingredient claims.
- Blending with stearic acid, cetyl alcohol or shea butter improves bar plasticity and reduces cracking; a small amount of free fatty acid in the SCI grade helps bar binding.
- Do not push the pH outside 5–9; the ester linkage hydrolyses under strongly alkaline or strongly acidic conditions.
Storage & Handling
Store in the original, tightly closed packaging in a cool, dry, well-ventilated place, protected from moisture and direct sunlight. Recommended storage temperature is 5–35 °C. SCI is hygroscopic — reseal partly used bags immediately and avoid humid conditions, which cause caking. Handle with standard personal protective equipment: gloves, eye protection and dust mask, since the powder is a respiratory and eye irritant in concentrated form. Avoid generating airborne dust during transfer.
Why Choose VeraVitabio
- Bulk B2B supply of surfactants, actives and functional ingredients — from sample quantities to full container loads
- Full documentation — COA, MSDS, TDS and specification sheets available on request
- OEM / ODM support — syndet bars, shampoo bars, sulphate-free shampoo and private-label finished product development
- Export experience to the US, EU, Middle East and Southeast Asia, with documentation support for importers and brand owners
- Stable supply chain — vetted manufacturing partners with batch-level traceability and pre-shipment verification
Request a Quote — Sourcing Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate (SCI) for a shampoo bar, syndet bar or sulphate-free liquid line? Send your specification, required grade and target volume to info@veravitabio.com or WhatsApp +86 157 7194 0528. Samples and full documentation are available for qualified B2B buyers. Web: veravitabio.com
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For cosmetic and personal care formulation use. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Specifications shown are for general reference; full Certificate of Analysis and supporting documentation are available upon request. Formulators are responsible for confirming permitted use levels and claim language in their target markets. Handle the powdered concentrate as a respiratory and eye irritant.
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