Common Name(s): N-cocoyl alanine sodium,alanine surfactant,amilite cs-11
CAS Number: 90170-45-9
DESCRIPTION
What It Does: Provides alanine amino acid mild cleansing with hard water compatibility and superior skin feel.
Why It's Used: Hard water compatible amino acid surfactant — sodium cocoyl alaninate's alanine head group provides better hard water foam stability than glutamate surfactants while maintaining excellent skin mildness.
How It Works: Alanine (non-polar methyl amino acid) provides different head group polarity vs glutamate/glycinate. hard water compatible foam — better than glutamate surfactants in mineral-rich water. excellent skin feel from alanine's non-polar character. cosmos approved.
Typically Found In: Cosmos natural shampoos,hard water cleansing systems
TECHNICAL DETAILS
Primary Category: Active ingredient – cosmetic active
Secondary Functions: Skin conditioning
Application Areas:
Facial Skincare
Body Care
Hair Care
Beard Care
Color Cosmetics (Makeup)
Dietary/Oral Supplements
Typical Concentration Range: 3%–15%
SOURCING & ETHICS
Vegan Status: Conditional - feedstock declaration required
Halal Status: Unverified - feedstock declaration required (plant, animal and petrochemical routes all exist)
Source Notes: Commercially produced for cosmetic use. verify vegan/halal status with supplier. [audit 2026-07-29 rev2: origin-dependent: the same inci exists in plant, animal and petrochemical versions and the name does not discriminate. determination requires shariah-panel sign-off.]
SKIN COMPATIBILITY
Irritancy Rating: 1/5 – very low
Comedogenicity Rating: 0/5 – non-comedogenic
Sensitivity Concerns: Well-tolerated by most skin types.
Safe for Sensitive Skin: Yes
SAFETY & COMPATIBILITY
Safety Profile: Good safety profile at recommended concentrations. ewg score: 1–2.
Works Well With: Standard skincare actives
Avoid Combining With: No known significant incompatibilities
SCIENTIFIC NOTE
Sodium cocoyl alaninate's hard water compatibility vs sodium lauroyl glutamate reflects different calcium sensitivity: glutamate's two carboxylates bind calcium strongly (forming insoluble calcium glutamate soap that kills foam), while alanine's single ester structure is less sensitive to calcium, preserving foam in hard water where many amino acid surfactants fail.
Last Verified: 2026-03-12
Primary Sources: Cosing database,cosmos standard