Potassium Dodecylbenzenesulfonate

AKA: 27177-77-1, Benzenesulfonic acid, Potassium salt, Dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid, Dodecyl benzene sulfonic acid, Potassium;2-dodecylbenzenesulfonate, Potassium 2-dodecylbenzenesulfonate
Synthetic
Cleanser
Safety Concern
Not Clean
Potassium dodecylbenzenesulphonate
Formula
C18H29KO3S
Mol. Weight
364.60
CAS #
27177-77-1
Form
Liquid
State
Liquid
Functions
Cleansing
Makes oil and water mix so dirt, makeup, and sunscreen can actually be washed away. The reason your face wash foams.
Cleansing Surfactant
Removes Impurities
Traditional Use
A synthetic anionic surfactant developed in the mid-20th century as an industrial cleaning agent. Adopted by cosmetics manufacturers in the 1960s-70s for detergent and cleansing formulations.
EWG
4
CIR
Safe as used
Pregnancy
Caution
CIR Safety Findings
Not a Sensitizer
medical-approval
all-shades-safe
Regulatory Status
USApermitted
EUrestricted
JAPANrestricted
CANADArestricted
Skin Types
all-skin-types
Best For
General
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding Safe
Caution
The paper trail
🔬Peer-reviewed1 paper
⚖️Regulatory1 listing
🛡️Safety-assessed0 reviews
Counts, not a verdict. A listing isn't a study. The trail, you decide.
Verified Jun 2026
Data: PubChem · CosIng · EWG · CIR