A surfactant that helps to thicken cleansing formulas and promotes foam creation. 

This is derived from coconut oil (allows it to be biodegradable!) and is super gentle to the skin and non-irritating. 

The science: It has an amphoteric structure (think amphibian) which means that its head contains both a positively and a negatively charged part. That means that the surfactant can behave as anionic (negatively charged) or cationic (positively charged) depending on the pH of the solution. This structure allows this surfactant to be super versatile and compatible with the skin.