True Things

What’s in the Raw Sugar Body Wash?

TrueThings by Kinnari
5 min readJun 21, 2020
Source : rawsugarliving.com

The mango scented moisturizing body wash makes the skin soft and supple while still having a refreshing scent. The ‘Raw Sugar Raw Coconut + Mango Body Wash’ Is known for it consisting of aloe vera, meadowfoam, olive, comfrey and jojoba seed oils that increases the conditioning effects of the body wash. And that’s not all, the product also has a list of good :

Petroleum-free, formaldehyde donor-free, formaldehyde-free, mineral oil-free, dmdm hydantoin-free, sodium lauryl sulfate-free, ethyl alcohol-free, talcum-free, vegan, animal by-product-free, lanolin-free, dye-free, propylene glycol-free, phthalate-free, fluoride-free, aluminum-free, sulfate-free, contains naturally derived ingredients, butylparaben-free, artificial color-free, nonylphenol ethoxylate free, propylparaben-free, paraben-free, non-toxic, gluten-free.

After reading all of that, most people would be hooked. And I was. The body wash was great, and made me feel great. Yet, the ingredient list looked confusing, which was surprising. Here is the ingredient list below.

Purified Water, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium C14–16 Olefin Sulfonate, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Sodium Lauryl Glucose Carboxylate, Lauryl Glucoside, Glycerin, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, *Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, *Limnanthes Alba (Meadowfoam) Seed Oil, *Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, *Mangifera Indica (Mango) Fruit Extract, *Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Fruit Extract, *Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice, *Symphytum Officinale (Comfrey) Leaf Extract, *Mangifera Indica (Mango) Kernel Butter, Cocamide Mipa, Decyl Glucoside, Polyquaternium-7, Polysorbate 20, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Peg 150 Distearate, Citric Acid, Dehydroacetic Acid, Sodium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Limonene, Fragrance (Parfum)

And before you fret, the ingredient list might seem confusing, but not for long! I have also summarized each ingredient below with an easy to understand definition.

Cocamidopropyl Betaine — Cocamidopropyl betaine is a synthetic fatty acid made from coconuts (healthline.com). It could cause allergies for some people, and is used as a conditioning agent (ewg.org).

Sodium C14–16 Olefin Sulfonate — It can be derived from coconut and produces a copious foam. It is used as a cleansing agent (naturallycurly.com).

Sodium Cocoamphoacetate — Sodium cocoamphoacetate is an amber liquid derived from coconut. It has a fruity scent (ingredients.puracy.com). And it’s used as a cleansing agent.

Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate — Sodium cocoyl glutamate is a mild vegetable-based surfactant (foaming ingredient) derived from coconut or palm kernel oil and glucose from corn (tomsofmaine.com).

Sodium Lauryl Glucose Carboxylate — To make sodium lauryl glucose carboxylate, lauryl alcohol is an essential fatty acid derived from coconut which is combined with glucose to produce lauryl glucoside, a mild, gentle cleanser that doesn’t dry skin or strip it of it’s natural oil (annmariegianni.com).

Lauryl Glucoside — Lauryl glucoside is a dispersant or surfactant that is made from coconut or palm oil and glucose from corn. Surfactants also have foaming qualities (tomsofmaine.com).

Glycerin — Vegetable glycerin is made by heating triglyceride-rich vegetable fats — such as palm, soy and coconut oils — under pressure or together with a strong alkali, such as lye. This causes the glycerin to split away from the fatty acids and mix together with water, forming an odorless, sweet-tasting, syrup-like liquid that is used as a moisturizer (healthline.com).

Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate — Sodium lauroyl sarcosinate is derived from sarcosine, a natural amino acid found in animals and plants, usually derived from coconut oil (honest.com).

Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil — Olive oil is extracted from the ripe fruit of the olive tree, Olea europaea. It is used as a fragrant and a skin-conditioning agent (ewg.org).

Limnanthes Alba (Meadowfoam) Seed Oil — Oil extracted from the seeds of the meadowfoam plant, Limnanthes alba. It is also a skin-conditioning agent (ewg.org).

Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil — Jojoba oil is extracted from seeds of the desert shrub, Simmondsia chinensis, native to California, Arizona and Mexico. Used as a skin-conditioning agent (ewg.org).

Mangifera Indica (Mango) Fruit Extract — Mangifera Indica (Mango) Fruit Extract is an extract of the fruit of the mango, Mangifera indica. Used as a skin-conditioning agent (ewg.org).

Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Fruit Extract — Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Fruit Extract is derived from the actual meat of the coconut and valued for its hydrating properties. It’s a highly absorbent and nourishing extract (blog.mariobadescu.com).

Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice — Aloe vera juice is produced from the succulent leaves of the aloe plant, Aloe barbadensis.

Symphytum Officinale (Comfrey) Leaf Extract — Symphytum Officinale Leaf Extract is an extract of the leaves of the comfrey, and used for its soothing effects (ewg.org).

Mangifera Indica (Mango) Kernel Butter — Mango seed butter is a fat obtained from the seed of Mangifera indica (Mango). It is also used for it’s conditioning effects (ewg.org).

Cocamide Mipa — Cocamide MIPA is a mixture of isopropanolamides of coconut acid. Also known as cocamide monoisopropanolamine. It functions as a surfactant, viscosity increasing agent, emulsifier and stabilizer (cosmetics.specialchem.com).

Decyl Glucoside — Decyl glucoside is produced by the reaction (known as esterification) of glucose from corn starch with the fatty alcohol capric alcohol, which is obtained from coconut and/or palm oil (tomsofmaine.com). Used as a cleansing agent.

Polyquaternium-7 — This ingredient is a synthetic polymer based on quaternary ammonium compounds, it’s used as a film former agent (ewg.org).

Polysorbate 20 — Polysorbate 20 is used in cosmetics and skin care products as a surfactant, emulsifier, and fragrance ingredient. It is derived from Lauric Acid and is also a chemical mixture of sorbitol ethylene oxide. It is also sometimes derived from fruits and berries (truthinaging.com).

Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride — Guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride is a white or yellow fine powder derived from guar beans (ingredients.puracy.com). It’s used as an antistatic agent (ewg.org).

Peg 150 Distearate — PEG-150 Distearate is a polyethylene glycol diester of stearic acid. Used as a cleansing agent and surfactant (ewg.org).

Citric Acid — Citric acid is naturally found in citric fruits and juices, and is used to control the acidity of the product.

Dehydroacetic Acid — Dehydroacetic acid is a synthetic preservative (ewg.org). (not enough information available).

Sodium Chloride — Sodium chloride occurs naturally in seawater and in the mineral form is called halite, but can also be synthetically made in bulk. Sodium Chloride is used as a thickening agent

Phenoxyethanol — Phenoxyethanol is a synthetic material typically made by mixing treating phenol with ethylene oxide in an alkaline medium. The resulting ingredient is light in color and has a mild rose odor (ingredients.puracy.com). This prolongs the shelf life of the product even when it’s opened by fighting any bacteria that may enter.

Benzyl Alcohol — Benzyl alcohol is a naturally ocurring and synthetic ingredient used as solvent and preservative; has been associated with contact allergy. It is a fragrant ingredient and is used as a preservative and as a solvent (ewg.org).

Limonene — A clear, colorless liquid that is found in the oil of citrus fruit peel. It is usually used as a flavoring and scent ingredient in many products.

After reading all of the definitions, I was left in awe! With few fragrant and synthetic ingredients the ‘Raw Sugar Raw Coconut + Mango Body Wash’ is filled with amazing stuff that will leave you and your skin happy and nourished.

All the data and usage facts are based on my research and my use of the product. I am not a skincare expert, I am just expressing my opinions. I have not been paid by ‘Raw Sugar’ to write this article.

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TrueThings by Kinnari

High schooler who loves Biology, Science, and Ingredients