PPG-2 Hydroxyethyl Cocamide

PPG-2 hydroxyethyl cocamide (CAS 201363-52-2) is a propoxylated coconut-fatty-acid amide and a mild nonionic surfactant. Formulators reach for it when a single ingredient needs to do several jobs at once: cleanse gently, stabilize and refine foam, lend a soft emollient afterfeel, and solubilize fragrances and oily actives into water-based systems. Because it carries no charge, it plays well across anionic, amphoteric, and other nonionic surfactants, which is why it shows up as a workhorse co-surfactant in personal-care and cleansing formulas where mildness and sensory quality matter.

What it is and why it works

Structurally, it pairs a coconut-derived fatty acid chain with a hydroxyethyl (propoxylated ethanolamine) head. That combination is what gives it its dual personality. The fatty portion delivers emolliency and a refatting, conditioned skin feel; the propoxylated, hydroxyl-bearing head provides nonionic surfactancy and water compatibility. The result is a clear-to-amber liquid that behaves less like a harsh primary detergent and more like a mildness-and-feel modifier. It thickens through shear-thinning rheology, holds foam together, and helps marry oil-loving and water-loving phases without the irritation potential associated with stronger anionic systems.

Applications by sector

Cleansing and personal care

This is the primary home for the material. In shampoos, body washes, shower gels, bubble baths, and facial cleansers, PPG-2 hydroxyethyl cocamide is used as a secondary surfactant to soften the harshness of the anionic base (typically a sulfate or sulfosuccinate). It improves foam density and stability, contributes a creamier lather, and leaves a refatted, non-stripped afterfeel on skin and hair. Its nonionic character means it can be dosed into existing surfactant blends without disrupting charge balance, so it is a practical lever for reformulating toward a milder claim profile.

Skin care

In lotions, cleansing milks, and emulsified cleansers it works as an emollient and as a solubilizer, helping carry fragrance oils, lipophilic actives, and emollient esters into otherwise aqueous formulas. That solubilizing ability lets formulators add oily ingredients at usable levels while keeping the finished product clear or stable, which is why it appears in both rinse-off and leave-on skin-care formats.

Conditioning

The fatty-amide backbone deposits a light conditioning film, so it is also used in hair conditioners, leave-in treatments, and moisturizing systems where a soft, smooth feel is the goal. It is rarely the sole conditioning agent; more often it complements cationic conditioners or supports slip and detangling alongside them.

Household and industrial cleansers

Outside personal care, its nonionic surfactancy and foam behavior make it useful as a co-surfactant in hand cleansers, hard-surface and HI&I cleaning products, and textile auxiliaries. Nonionics are valued in these systems because they tolerate hard water and electrolytes better than anionics and can fine-tune foam and wetting without adding charge-related instability.

Forms and grade

PPG-2 hydroxyethyl cocamide is typically supplied as a liquid, ranging from clear to pale yellow or amber depending on grade and lot. It is most often offered at high active content rather than as a dilute solution, though exact active percentage, color, and viscosity vary by manufacturer and grade. We confirm assay, appearance, and identity on the Certificate of Analysis issued per lot rather than relying on generic literature values, so formulators can match incoming material to their specification before it enters production.

Handling

Handle as a personal-care surfactant raw material in line with good manufacturing practice. The lot-specific Safety Data Sheet governs storage, personal protective equipment, spill response, and incompatibilities, and should be reviewed before use. We provide the SDS together with the CoA for every shipment.

Bulk sourcing

RawSource sources PPG-2 hydroxyethyl cocamide in bulk for personal-care and cleansing manufacturers, supplied in industrial packaging such as pails and drums with a CoA and SDS per lot. Send us your INCI requirement, target volume, and packaging preference and we will return current bulk pricing and availability. Request a quote to start sourcing.