
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
- Ammonium Lauryl Sulphate
- Arachidyl alcohol
- Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
- Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
- C12-18 acid triglyceride
- Calamide
- Capryl Glycol
- Caprylhydroxamic Acid
- Caprylic Acid
- Caprylic Glycol
- Caprylic/Capric
- Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
- Caprylyl glycol
- Caprylyl/capryl glucoside
- 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 Caprylate
- Glyceryl Cocoate
- Glyceryl Dibehenate
- glyceryl monostearate
- Glyceryl Ricinoleate
- Glyceryl Stearate
- Hexyl Laurate
- Inulin Lauryl Carbamate
- 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
- Laurylglucoside Crosspolymer
- Magnesium Stearate
- Methylsulfonylmethane
- Myristic acid
- Myristyl Glucoside
- Neopentyl glycol dicaprylate/dicaprate
- Ninol COMF-N
- Nylon 12
- Octanediol
- Octyldodecanol
- Olefin Sulfonate
- Optiphen
- PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
- PEG-8 Dilaurate
- PEG-20 glyceryl triisostearate
- PEG-30 Glyceryl Cocoate
- PEG-100
- PEG-100 Stearate
- Phenoxyethanol
- Polyglycerin-3
- 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
- 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 alcohol
- Sucrose Cocoate
- Sucrose Stearate
- TEA Lauryl Sulfate
- Tegobetaine L7
- Tocopheryl Acetate
- Tricaprylin
- Triethylhexanoin
- 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.


19 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!
Pingback:
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!
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