How It's Made
Key facts
- Name on labels (INCI)
- Cocamidopropyl Betaine
- Also called
- CAPB, Cocamidopropyl betaine solution
- Grade to ask for
- CAPB 30% active
A mild cleanser made from coconut oil, supplied as a pale yellow 30% solution.
What it does
- Secondary surfactant
- Adds cleansing power while making the overall blend milder on skin and eyes.
- Foam booster
- Improves the volume and stability of foam.
- Thickening aid
- Helps SLES-based formulas thicken when salt is added.
- Antistatic agent
- Used in some conditioners to reduce static.
Products on How It's Made that use cocamidopropyl betaine
| Product | Its role there |
|---|---|
| Foaming cleanser | Co-cleanser. A co-cleanser that boosts foam and makes the blend milder on skin and eyes. |
| Shampoo | Mild co-cleanser. A milder secondary surfactant that softens the harshness of SLES, boosts foam and helps the salt thicken the mix. |
| Body wash | Mild co-cleanser. A mild amphoteric surfactant that makes the blend gentler on skin, boosts foam and helps it thicken with salt. |
On How It's Made, CAPB appears in shampoo, body wash and foaming face cleanser.
Grades and specifications
- CAPB 30% (standard)
- The usual commercial form. Buyers check active content, salt content and pH.
- Low-impurity grades
- Specified with tight limits on amidoamine and DMAPA, the impurities linked to most skin reactions.
Handling, safety and regulation
The solution is mildly irritating in concentrated form and is handled with standard protective equipment. Human studies show low sensitising potential when impurities are tightly controlled; CAPB was nonetheless named Allergen of the Year in 2004 by the American Contact Dermatitis Society, largely because of impurities.
Permitted in cosmetics in major markets. Finished products in Nigeria need NAFDAC registration.
Where cocamidopropyl betaine comes from
Made in two steps: coconut or palm kernel fatty acids react with DMAPA to form an amide, which is then reacted with chloroacetic acid. Production is concentrated among global surfactant manufacturers; West African formulators import it through distributors.
Sourcing cocamidopropyl betaine through Matta
Send Matta a request with the grade, quantity and delivery location you need. For the wider category, see Matta's industrial chemicals page.
Listings found on matta.trade, read 15 Oct 2026. Prices are a snapshot, not live; the listing is always the final word. Different suppliers and grades: compare prices only where the unit matches.
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