"A practical supplier guide to sodium lauroylsarcosinate (CAS 137-16-6): what the white powder is, its spec sheet (C15H28NO3.Na, MW 293.38, mp 46 C, pH 7.0-9.0, water-soluble, hygroscopic, store room temp), why formulators choose it for mild cleansers, toothpaste, and food, how it pairs with brightening and peptide actives, plus handling, storage, and buyer specification notes."
-Deshangchemical-chemechemi
Sodium Lauroylsarcosinate (CAS 137-16-6): The Mild Amino-Acid Surfactant Behind Gentle Cleansers
If you formulate shampoos, facial cleansers, body washes, or toothpastes, you have probably already met sodium lauroylsarcosinate. It is the quiet workhorse that lets a wash feel creamy and mild instead of tight and stripping. Under the trade-friendly name “sodium lauryl sarcosinate,” this anionic amino-acid surfactant has been a fixture in personal care for decades, and it keeps showing up in new clean-beauty and baby-care formulas for one simple reason: it cleans without picking a fight with the skin.
What the material actually is
Sodium lauroylsarcosinate is the sodium salt of N-lauroylsarcosine, a sarcosine (N-methylglycine) derivative acylated with lauric acid. Chemically it reads as C15H28NO3.Na with a molecular weight of 293.38 and an EINECS number of 205-281-5. Suppliers normally ship it as a white powder that dissolves readily in water — about 293 g/L — and stays clear and colorless at 1 M. It is hygroscopic, which matters for storage and bagging, but otherwise stable at room temperature and incompatible only with strong oxidizing agents.
Most buyers specify it by the following reference points, which we list here the way a quality sheet would:
| CAS | 137-16-6 |
| Molecular formula | C15H28NO3.Na |
| Molecular weight | 293.38 |
| EINECS | 205-281-5 |
| Appearance | White powder |
| Melting point | 46 °C |
| Density | 1.033 g/mL at 20 °C |
| pH (1 M in water, 25 °C) | 7.0 – 9.0 |
| Water solubility | Soluble, ~293 g/L |
| Storage | Room temperature, keep dry (hygroscopic) |
Why formulators keep it on the shelf
The appeal is mildness with performance. Sodium lauroylsarcosinate produces a fine, stable foam and lowers surface tension well enough to lift oil and daily grime, yet its irritation profile is far lower than the older sulfate surfactants. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review panel permits it in rinse-off and leave-on products up to 5% concentration, and the U.S. FDA has cleared the related sarcosine chemistry for direct food use, which tells you how well-characterized the safety data is.
For sensitive-skin lines it pairs naturally with a light emollient so the skin does not feel bare after rinsing. A common move is to build the cleansing base around sodium lauroylsarcosinate and then cushion it with squalane (CAS 111-01-3), a stable, odorless carrier oil that leaves a soft finish without a greasy film. The two together make a wash that feels premium rather than clinical.
Where it goes in the formula
The personal-care list is long. You will find it in facial cleansers, body washes, baby shampoos, shaving creams, and syndet bars, usually blended with a coco-betaine or a mild amphoteric to round out the foam. In toothpaste it does double duty: it helps disperse the paste and, because sarcosinate chemistry interferes with bacterial acid production, it is valued for its anti-caries support. Food technologists use it as an emulsifier, stabilizer, and texture helper where a gentle, biodegradable surfactant is wanted.
Outside the bathroom it has a second life in the lab. Researchers use it as a lysis and extraction aid for proteins and nucleic acids, and in agriculture it has been studied for boosting nitrogen fixation in legume rhizobia. Those uses are niche for most buyers, but they explain why a surfactant drum can move through so many industries.
Building a brighter routine around it
A gentle cleanser is the right front end for an active-led regimen, because stripping the skin barrier works against the actives you layer on afterward. That is why so many brightening and anti-aging lines open with a low-irritation wash and follow with targeted ingredients. If your product roadmap heads that way, a few of our other raw materials slot in cleanly:
- Kojic acid (CAS 501-30-4) — a fermentation-derived brightener that many toners and serums lean on.
- Alpha-arbutin (CAS 84380-01-8) — a stable tyrosinase inhibitor that plays well in water-based leave-on formulas.
- L-ascorbic acid (CAS 50-81-7) — the reference vitamin C antioxidant for brightening and protection.
- GHK-Cu copper peptide (CAS 49557-75-7) — a blue peptide active for firming and renewal routines.
- Citric acid anhydrous (CAS 77-92-9) — the go-to pH adjuster for keeping the finished wash in spec.
Used in that order — mild cleanse, then targeted active, then a pH buffer — the formula reads as intentional rather than as a random stack of ingredients.
An environmental note buyers appreciate
Beyond skin comfort, sodium lauroylsarcosinate scores points on the sustainability side. It is readily biodegradable and breaks down through normal microbial action rather than lingering in wastewater, which is why brands with a green-claims agenda like to cite it. It is also low in toxicity to aquatic life at use concentrations, so formulators building an eco-labeled line can document the choice without bending the science. None of that replaces a proper safety assessment, but it does make the ingredient an easy sell to a marketing team that cares about the story behind the bottle.
Handling, storage, and what to ask your supplier
Because the powder is hygroscopic, keep it in sealed, low-humidity storage and rotate stock so you are not shipping material that has picked up moisture on the shelf. Room-temperature storage is fine; just avoid prolonged exposure to strong oxidizers. On the spec sheet, ask for the assay, the pH of a 1 M solution, heavy-metal limits, and a microbial count if the material is headed for a cosmetic or food application. A reputable supplier will hand you a current COA and, for export, the relevant regulatory backing rather than a vague reassurance.
If you are sourcing sodium lauroylsarcosinate (CAS 137-16-6) for the first time, start with a small trial batch alongside your existing surfactants and run a foam and irritation panel before scaling. The ingredient is forgiving, but every base is different, and a short bench test saves a failed production run. For most gentle-cleanser projects it earns its place quickly — mild enough for daily use, capable enough to carry the formula.
