The Ultimate List of Coconut Derivatives in Skin Care
Do you have a coconut allergy? At first glance, most people think a coconut allergy just means that you can’t eat piña coladas and macaroons. We all know it’s much more than that. What people don’t realize is that coconut and its derivatives can be found in almost all skin care products.
Do you need to be able to read an ingredients list on a skin care product and identify coconut derivatives that could cause an allergic reaction? Then turn to this ultimate list of coconut derivatives in skin care.
The following may be derived from coconut:
- 1,3-Butanediol
- Alkyl Benzoate
- Alkyl Polyglucoside
- Ammonium Lauryl Sulphate
- Arachidyl Alcohol
- Benzoic Acid
- Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
- Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
- C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
- Calamide
- Capryl Glycol
- Caprylhydroxamic Acid
- Caprylic Acid
- Caprylic Glycol
- Caprylic/Capric
- Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
- Caprylyl Glycol
- Caprylyl/capryl Glucoside
- Centrimonium Chloride
- Ceramide 3
- Ceteareth-20
- Ceteareth-30
- Cetearyl Alcohol
- Cetearyl Glucoside
- Ceteth-20 Phosphate
- Cetrimonium Chloride
- Cetyl Alcohol
- Cetyl Esters
- Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
- Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
- Cocamide MEA
- Cocamide Mipa
- Cocamidopropyl Betaine
- Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
- Coco Glucoside
- Coco-Caprylate
- Cococaprylate/Caprate
- Cocomide DEA
- Coconut Alkanes
- Coconut Diethanolamide (CDFA)
- Cocos Nucifera Oil
- Cocoyl Amide Propyldimethyl Glycine
- Cocoyl Diethanolamide
- Coir
- Decanoic Acid
- Decyl Alcohol
- Decyl Glucoside
- Dicaprylyl Carbonate
- Diisostearyl Malate
- Disodium Cocamphodiprop
- Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate
- Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate
- Disodium Lauryl Sulfosuccinate
- Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate
- Dodecanol
- Glycerin/Glycerine/Glycerol
- Glyceryl Behenate
- Glyceryl Caprylate
- Glyceryl Cocoate
- Glyceryl Dibehenate
- Glyceryl Glucoside
- Glyceryl Monostearate
- Glyceryl Ricinoleate
- Glyceryl Stearate
- Hexyl Laurate
- Inulin Lauryl Carbamate
- Isoceteth
- Isoamyl Laurate
- Isocetyl Stearate
- Isodecyl Neopentanoate
- Isopropyl Myristate
- Kinetin
- Lauramide DEA
- Laureth-23
- Laureth-3
- Laureth-4
- Laureth-7
- Lauric Acid
- Lauryl Alcohol
- Lauryl Glucoside
- Lauryl Sarcosine
- Lauryl/Myristyl Polyricinoleate
- Laurylglucoside Crosspolymer
- Magnesium Stearate
- Methylsulfonylmethane
- Myristic Acid
- Myristyl Glucoside
- Neopentyl Glycol Dicaprylate/dicaprate
- Ninol COMF-N
- Nylon 12
- Octanediol
- Octyldodecanol
- Olefin Sulfonate
- Optiphen
- PEG-100
- PEG-100 Stearate
- PEG-30 Glyceryl Cocoate
- PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
- PEG-8 Dilaurate
- Phenoxyethanol
- Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
- Polyglyceryl-2 Sesquiisostearate
- Polyglyceryl-2 Triisostearate
- Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate
- Polyglyceryl-6 Caprylate
- Polysorbate 80
- Polysorbate-20
- Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
- Potassium Cocoate
- Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate
- PPG-2 Hydroxyethyl Cocamide
- Sarkosyl
- Sodium Cocoamphoacetate
- Sodium Cocoate
- Sodium Coco-Sulfate
- Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate
- Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
- Sodium Laureth Sulfate
- Sodium Lauroamphoacetate
- Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate
- Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
- Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate
- Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
- Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
- Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
- Sodium PCA
- Sodium Stearate
- Stearalkonium Chloride
- Stearic Acid
- Stearyl lAcohol
- Sucrose Cocoate
- Sucrose Stearate
- TEA Lauryl Sulfate
- Tegobetaine L7
- Tocopheryl Acetate
- Tocotrienols
- Tricaprylin
- Undecylenoyl glycine
- Zinc Stearate
Perhaps you noticed some patterns. If the ingredient has the prefix capry-, cetear-, cetyl-, coco-, coca-, laur-, or stear-, there is a good chance that the ingredient was derived from coconut.
Stay tuned for a future article that will list which of these ingredients may be derived from other sources. This will allow you to check with the manufacturer to see whether or not you can use their product.
How to find skin care products that don’t contain coconut derivatives
We’ve already done the work for you! Check out these articles:
- A Comprehensive List of Coconut-free Skin Care Products
- A Comprehensive List of Coconut-free Makeup
- A Comprehensive List of Coconut-free Personal Care Products
- A Comprehensive List of Hair Products without Coconut Derivatives
Many of us with coconut allergies find it very difficult to find products that won’t break us out even if we try to buy products that don’t obviously contain coconut. As you can see in the list above, it often sneaks into our products by means of its derivatives. Coconut has really become a main player in skin care but that doesn’t mean there aren’t options out there for those of us with coconut allergies.
For the ingredients we recommend on our site, we look over all the ingredients to ensure it doesn’t have any of these coconut derivatives. Also, in case someone has a palm allergy, we try to avoid anything derived from it as well. If something we do feature on our site does include one of these ingredients, please know that we make it a practice to contact the manufacturer to ensure the ingredient was derived from another source.
Do you have any coconut derivatives that you think should be included in this list? Let us know below and share your knowledge with the rest of us.
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24 Comments
Lisa
I suspect Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate, also called Polyoxyethylene Sorbitol Tetraoleate, belongs on this list.
Super helpful btw. Keep it up!
E. Mila
Thank you!
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E. Mila
Thanks for reading!
Clara
I think propylene glycol should be included on this list. It was first derived from coconut oil
E. Mila
I appreciate your help 🙂
JEANETTE DOTIMAS
This page is a godsend. I’ve struggled with coco and palm allergies since childhood! Thank you thank you thank you.
E. Mila
Thanks for the encouragement!
Annette Foss Trønnes
I’ve struggled with coconut allergies since I was born, I’m also allergic to all kinds of citrus.. Love this list!! But I really need help, do you know any bodysoap, shampoo and conditioner without this? I can’t find anything.. Tried to look for soap base without this too, but no luck there eather! Thought I’d make my own soap, but with every soap base being made with coconut in some form or citrus I can’t use it🤷🏼♀️ I need a shampoo and conditioner that sooths my sensitiv, acneprone, dry, itchy scalp. And I want it to be good for growth. Bodysoap needs to be good for acneprone skin, fatty skin. My skin overall produce alot of oil and sebum, and I’m sick of it! It has to be a solution for this, some kind of soaps that I can use!!😫 Please help me if you can!
E. Mila
Hello! I’m so sorry you’ve struggled with these allergies, it makes shopping so frustrating and time consuming.
Maybe you can use something from our skincare list: https://sensitiveskinoasis.com/all-skin-care-products-without-coconut/
I’m currently working on a list for coconut free hair and body care. In the mean time, I have a couple of ideas.
For a soap base, there is an olive oil one that has no added fragrance (probably where citrus normally is added in other products): Penns Hill UNSCENTED ORGANIC CASTILE OLIVE OIL LIQUID SOAP
https://amzn.to/3UGDKLR
Here is a bar soap: Kiss My Face Olive Oil Fragrance Free Bar Soap https://amzn.to/3AjkPhY
A shampoo bar takes some getting used to, I find a apple cider vinegar rinse helps prevent build up. Shea Lava Clay Soapnut Shampoo Bar https://www.soapnuts.co.uk/products/shea-lava-clay-soapnut-shampoo-bar-90g
Hair and scalp oil (oils are a good alternative to creamy coconut filled conditioners): Monday Muse THE GLOSS – Scalp & Hair Oil https://www.mondaymuseskin.com/products/the-gloss-scalp-hair-oil
From a glance it seems they don’t contain citrus. Since I’m unsure of citrus derivatives, I recommend checking the with the manufacturers to be sure. Hope you find something that works for you!
Jen
So the most help I have received in finding products has been from coconut free communities like this Facebook group. I get my soap for my body from chagrin valley soap and salve. I get my shampoo and conditioner and the saop I grind up for my laundry detergents pectolite.net. I also use a shampoo from Amazon Nature Sustained Organic Shampoo it’s a nut Probiotics, Hypoallergenic Natural & Sulfate Free shampoo that is coconut free and it’s cheaper but conditioner is not nearly as good as pectolite.net and you should always be cautious about anything you get from Amazon not being correct for the ingredients label. I hope this helps, chagrin valley soap and salve and pectolite.net have a lot of coconut free products too, I use their facial lotions, body lotion, chopstick, their stuff is great and the community on Facebook is great.
Jaimie
d-alpha tocopherol.
Can’t find a definitive answer on the source of this ingredient in my vitamins.
E. Mila
d-alpha tocopherol can be derived from a few sources. It may be prudent to contact the manufacturer of the vitamins and ask them directly. Hope you find the information you need!
Jaimie
I cannot find answers. It is exhausting, quite frankly irritating that the US REFUSES to properly label ingredients!!! Time is finite in life, calling manufacturers sounds like high BP for me lol. If I take a supplement I shouldn’t have to wonder “is this tocopherol coconut ???” Even the organic baby oats have “tocopherol,” can’t take vitamins/minerals, find oils to make my own soap easily without questioning everything. The food this about all this is I now have to be very mindful about home cooking, try to make my own beauty products 🙂
Pediatrician, allergist, most people can’t wrap their head around it.
Sorry. That was a tangent, rant done.
E. Mila
We know the rant well! I love companies that are transparent with the sources of their ingredients but unfortunately they’re few and far bewtween
Annette Foss Trønnes
I know! It’s not just all kinds of soaps and lotions, it’s in food aswell.. I can’t even buy bread without checking the ingredients! I’m norwegian and live in Norway, and I really don’t know what has happend. Everything seems to contain coconut now a days.. I can’t find shampoo, conditioner, bodysoap, handsoap, lotion, face cleanser without it.. And as I said, alot of food contain it too! I have to take allergie meds everyday, and everytime I eat something, that’s insane.. Wish the marked made soap ++ and foods for us with allergies for coconut, citrus or at least made soapbase without it so we can make our own soap.. Food should NOT include coconut or citrus, as so many people have allergies for it..
Connie
Trying to find hydrating and toning shampoos and conditioners for natural gray hair that are coconut free, and so far haven’t been able to find any. Do you know of any?
E. Mila
Check out our article about hair products here: https://sensitiveskinoasis.com/all-hair-products-without-coconut-derivatives/
You can make any white coconut-free shampoo or conditioner into a purple toning one by adding a tiny drop of gentian violet dye into the bottle. Hope that helps!
Jen
Have you published the post yet on which of these could also be derived from other sources?
E. Mila
Not yet, but it’s in the works
Jules
I just want to say thank you so much for creating this website and all the effort you’ve put into these lists. It has been so incredibly helpful.
E. Mila
I’m so glad it’s been useful. I hope you find things that work for you!
Cara
I appreciate this list and the products you’ve shared here and in other posts. It’s mind blowing how pervasive coconut is in our everyday lives (it’s in everything from food to laundry to household cleaning products to cosmetics, etc!) and how little information there is about coconut allergies. Sadly, many of the coconut free products out there contain sunflower which my daughter is also allergic to. Thanks for helping us navigate this!
Pamela Grant
This is an outstanding list! I’ve one on my phone and this is amazing! Sooo struggling with my skin after 11 years got it under control – allergic to Cocamidopropyl Betaine and any variation on this! People watch out for vegetable oil in restaurants/going out! Some companies don’t put what’s in their oil and I got caught out with one as I was having oat cream…I’m off dairy at the moment…and my friend looked at the ingredients and said no there’s no coconut in this…in the smallest writingbthe veg oil had rapeseed and coconut! 🤦♀️
I’ve added Cetyl betaine to my list as it could be derived from coconut! Cetyl resin wax is a natural wax produced by coconut.
Anything with “Lauro” means coconut.
A ‘glazing agent’ as an ingrediant it should say what ingrediant exactly they use to polish or coat the product in brackets, if not double check as its normally carnauba wax or coconut oil.
Brita water filters use coconut husks to make their activated charcoal. This caused a reaction for me.😞
The other one I have written down is: Sorbitan Stearate
People watch for the docs or dermatology giving you creams too…I got 2: Hydromol which had isopropyl myristate, glyceryl tribehenate, sorbitan laurate and polyoxyethylene which all derived from coconut…no wonder I was so itchy and stingy!
Protopic main ingredient tacrolimus monohydrate is derived from propylene glycol and all-rac-a-tocopherol, all derived from coconut! I was even told (after using it a week and skin getting worse) to put up with it! I tried but the skin got redder and I was more itchy so came off that and I was better with Euovate and hydrocortisone.
Goid luck every with a coconut allergy!