Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate: Your Skincare Routine’s Favorite Side-Kick Ingredient

What is Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate?

While it may sound like a wild man-made compound you would learn about in a chemistry class, sodium lauroyl lactylate is a naturally derived ingredient used as an emulsifier and, in higher concentrations, used as a surfactant.

While this ingredient is by no means the star ingredient that leads you to buy a product, it does help other products absorb into the skin better since sodium lauroyl lactylate does penetrate the skin really well. 

How is it made?

Remember how we said sodium lauroyl lactylate sounds like something you would learn in a chemistry class? Well, it is time to put on your lab coats. This ingredient is a sodium salt that is the product of the reaction found between lauric acid and lactic acid.

Lauric acid is a saturated fatty acid, and fatty acids are the building blocks of fats and oils. Lauric acid in particular is one of the main fatty acids found in coconut oil. The other half of this equation, lactic acid, is an alpha-hydroxy acid that comes from milk. So, coconut oil and milk are the two natural ingredients that can react to form sodium lauroyl lactylate.

Uses and Benefits

While one of the undeniable benefits of this ingredient is that it helps other products and ingredients absorb into the skin better, it also works hard to make your skin glow in several different ways. Not only does it act as an emulsifier and surfactant, but it is also an antimicrobial that helps moisturize the skin.

Surfactants are products that reduce the surface tension between two substances, like two liquids or a solid and a liquid. Sodium lauroyl lactylate being a natural surfactant means it helps excess oil and dirt wash away from the skin with ease. This is why sodium lauroyl lactylate is often found in cleaning products like shampoos and face wash. Another reason why this ingredient is great in cleansing products is because of its ability to produce a soft and foamy texture.

Sodium lauroyl lactylate is also an emulsifier in many cosmetics and skincare products. Emulsifiers are vital for products that have oil and water as ingredients. That is because when you mix water and oil-based ingredients, it becomes difficult to keep them from separating. Emulsifiers make sure this problem doesn’t happen and improve the consistency of a product.

Finding a balance between fighting acne and keeping your skin hydrated can be hard, but it is possible with sodium lauroyl lactylate. The moisturizing properties come from lauric acid. Since it is a fatty acid, it moisturizes the skin and forms a protective barrier that helps keep moisture in. This ability to lock moisture in also enhances the delivery of other active ingredients. Lauric acid is also well known for its antimicrobial properties. This is why it is often seen as an effective ingredient for combating acne.

Interactions with the Skin and Other Ingredients

As far as research shows, sodium lauroyl lactylate is generally safe to use. The exception to this is if you have an allergy to this ingredient or sensitivity to lactic acid. However, the amount of lactic acid is rarely a concern.

In an interview with Byrdie, Dr. Kaveri Karhade stated that sodium lauroyl lactylate is a low-risk ingredient that is safe to use on a daily basis unless you are allergic.

Cosmetic chemist Ginger King claims that sodium lauroyl lactylate is safe to use with most ingredients and that there is not an ingredient in particular that you should avoid using along with it.

What Do the Experts Say? 

As stated before, sodium lauroyl lactylate is seen as a very low-risk ingredient. This is agreed upon by many dermatologists, cosmetic chemists, and several accredited organizations including the Environmental Working Group. 

In fact, after evaluating sodium lauroyl lactylate, the EWG rated the ingredient as a 1 on a scale of one to ten. One being the lowest risk to a person’s health and ten being the highest.

With all these wonderful things being said, the EWG states that it is very important to note that there is limited research and data on sodium lauroyl lactylate as an ingredient in skin care products and cosmetics. As far as we know now, it is safe but should be used with caution when used with other ingredients since it penetrates the skin so easily.