SCI 85 (Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate)

Product Information

CosmySupplies supplies cosmetic grade Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate SCI 85 (INCI: Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate) in India on enquiry, a mild anionic surfactant in white flake form derived from coconut fatty acids. Activity is 84 percent minimum as supplied, with a COA available on request. It suits syndet bars, shampoo bars, facial bars, and body bars. The ingredient is supplied at a skin-compatible pH of 5.0 to 6.5, which is the primary reason syndet bars sit closer to the skin's natural pH than traditional soap. Order sizes are available on enquiry, shipped from Bengaluru across India. Contact CosmySupplies at cosmysupplies.com.

INCI: Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate | Origin: Vegetable derived  | Grade: Cosmetic, SCI-85 | Form: White irregular flakes solid

Functions: Cleansing | Surfactant | Foam Boosting | Skin Conditioning | Hair Conditioning | Bar Structuring

Used In: Syndet Bar | Shampoo Bar | Facial Bar | Body Bar | Cleansing Balm | Solid Facial Cleanser | Powder Cleanser | Solid Body Wash

Sulphate Free | Skin-Compatible pH | Coconut Derived | Mild Anionic | Dense Creamy Lather | Solid Surfactant | Syndet Bar Base

Benefits

•      Delivers a dense, creamy, velvety lather that is richer and more persistent than most liquid glucoside or amphoteric systems, making it the preferred primary surfactant for premium syndet bar formulations.

•      Supplied at a skin-compatible pH of 5.0 to 6.5 as solid flakes. Unlike all liquid glucoside surfactants in this range, it does not require mandatory citric acid adjustment to reach a gentle finished formula pH.

•      Functions as a bar structuring agent, contributing hardness and shape to a solid cleansing bar. At 20 to 60 percent of the bar mass it sets the structural backbone of the syndet.

•      CIR assessed safe for use in cosmetic formulations at up to 50 percent in rinse-off products and up to 17 percent in leave-on products, with a low irritation and sensitisation profile.

•      Biodegradable and derived from renewable coconut fatty acids, supporting natural origin and eco-conscious positioning without the high-pH alkalinity of saponified soap bars.

•      Hard water tolerant, producing consistent foam and lather quality regardless of water mineral content, which matters in India where water hardness varies significantly by city.

•      Compatible with stearic acid, fatty alcohols, cocoa butter, and other solid bar ingredients, allowing the formulator to adjust bar hardness, conditioning, and skin feel by varying the supporting matrix.

•      At 84 to 85 percent active matter, the SCI-85 grade is the most efficient by weight, giving formulators maximum active surfactant per gram purchased compared to lower-grade SCI.

Applications

In a syndet cleansing bar, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate is the primary structural and functional surfactant. At 30 to 60 percent of the bar mass it provides the lather, cleansing, and hardness that the bar is built on. The remaining mass is composed of fatty acids, butters, or waxes that condition and bind. The result is a bar that lathers like a premium product without the alkaline pH or defatting character of traditional soap.

In a shampoo bar, SCI 85 provides the primary cleansing and foam that a liquid shampoo would deliver from SLES or glucosides. The solid format eliminates the water phase, reduces preservative load, and produces a concentrated product. Blended with CAPB or a betaine, the shampoo bar cleanses the scalp without stripping, leaves hair manageable, and rinses cleanly.

In a facial syndet bar or cleansing bar, the skin-compatible pH of SCI 85 is its most important property. The bar cleansing the face at pH 5 to 6.5 rather than the pH 9 to 10 of a traditional soap bar means the acid mantle is not disrupted. Dermatology brands and clinical skincare lines have used SCI-based facial bars for this reason for decades.

In a powder cleanser or solid facial wash, the flake form of SCI 85 is ground to a fine powder and formulated with other dry ingredients. The resulting powder cleanser activates with water at the point of use, lathers immediately, and rinses cleanly. No preservative is needed in the dry formula. This is a growing format in India for sensitive skin and minimal-ingredient positioning.

In a body bar or solid body wash, it contributes foam and structure while stearic acid and cocoa butter add conditioning and shape. At lower SCI 85 levels paired with SLSA or a glucoside, the bar has a softer, more conditioning profile suited to dry skin formulations.

How to Use

Processing SCI 85 Flakes

SCI 85 comes as white irregular flakes. Before melting, grind or crush the flakes into a finer particle size. This step significantly reduces the time and energy needed to melt the ingredient evenly. Skipping it leads to uneven melting, scorching, and inconsistent bar quality.

For Syndet Bar and Shampoo Bar

Melt the crushed flakes slowly on low heat at approximately 70 to 80 degrees C. SCI 85 melts between 100 and 107 degrees C, but in a blend with stearic acid, cocoa butter, or other fatty ingredients the melt temperature is lower. Do not overheat. Once melted, blend with other surfactants using a high shear mixer or stick blender. Add the stick blender to the melt before switching it on to avoid excessive foam at the start. Press or mould while the mass is still pliable. The bar sets hard on cooling.

For Powder Cleanser

Grind the SCI 85 flakes to a fine, uniform powder using a grinder or high-speed blender. Blend with other dry ingredients such as starches, clays, or powdered actives. No heat is required. Package in an airtight container. The user activates at the point of use by mixing with water on wet hands.

Cationic compatibility note

SCI 85 is an anionic surfactant. Avoid pairing it with cationic quaternary compounds such as cetrimonium chloride or behentrimonium methosulfate in a liquid system, as charge incompatibility may occur. In solid bars, these interactions are typically less problematic, but confirm through your own stability testing.

pH note

SCI 85 is supplied at pH 5.0 to 6.5. For most solid syndet bar applications, no pH adjustment is needed. For liquid systems incorporating SCI 85, the dissolved pH may shift and should be confirmed in your specific formula. If raising pH is needed, sodium bicarbonate is a commonly used agent. If lowering is needed, citric acid applies.

Claims You Can Make

For your label and marketing:

Sulphate Free | Coconut Derived | Mild | Skin-Compatible pH | Dense Creamy Lather | Soap Free | Plant Based | Hard Water Tolerant

For your formulator brief:

Cleansing Agent | Foam Boosting Surfactant | Skin and Hair Conditioning Agent | Anionic surfactant || Activity 84% minimum | pH 5.0 to 6.5 as supplied | Hard water tolerant | Biodegradable | Compatible with stearic acid, fatty alcohols, cocoa butter, and mild secondary surfactants

Technical Information

Pairs Well With

Stearic Acid is the most common co-ingredient in a syndet bar formulation. It provides hardness and structure to the bar, helps bind the SCI matrix, and contributes a skin-softening feel. The ratio between SCI 85 and stearic acid sets the bar hardness and how it performs at different ambient temperatures.

Cocoa Butter Refined adds skin conditioning and richness to the bar feel. It softens the bar at lower levels and contributes a creamy after-feel that differentiates a premium syndet bar from a clinical-only formulation.

Cocamidopropyl Betaine (CAPB) can be incorporated into a syndet bar at low levels to add foam stability and mildness. It is more commonly used in liquid SCI systems. In bars, its contribution is secondary, but it can soften the foam character for sensitive skin formulations.

SLSA (Sodium Lauryl Sulfo Acetate) is a dry powder surfactant that blends with SCI 85 in bar or powder formats to boost lather volume. The combination of SCI 85 and SLSA gives a syndet bar both the creamy lather of SCI and the additional foam of a faster-breaking anionic surfactant.

Citric Acid Monohydrate is used in liquid SCI systems to adjust the final formula pH. In solid bar formulations it is generally not needed, as SCI 85 is already supplied in the skin-compatible pH rang