Emollient

Myristic Acid

Natural C14 fatty acid from coconut and nutmeg is an important component of soaps and cleansing agents. Myristic acid provides the best solid creamy foam among all fatty acids.

fatty acidC14foamingcoconut

✕ High Risk

Comedogenic Rating

3/5

Irritation Potential

0/5

What is it?

Myristic Acid (tetradecanoic acid, C14:0) — saturated fatty acid. Highest content in nutmeg oil (~75%), coconut (~18%) and palm kernel oil. Myristates (salts) are better soap-foamers than laurates and palmitates. In INCI: Myristic Acid.

Present in soaps and cleansers based on fatty acids. A natural component of palm kernel and coconut oils used in soap making.

Key Benefits

✦

The best creamy foam among fatty acids

Sodium myristate provides the densest and creamiest foam compared to laurate (C12) and palmitate (C16) — hence soap with coconut oil foams better than most others.

◈

Natural component of coconut

Found in coconut and palm kernel oil — natural origin, without synthetic production. Present in most plant-based soaps.

✧

Softening and conditioning

As a fatty acid — softens the skin and forms a light protective film. Less occlusive than stearic, but pleasant to the touch.

Suitable for

Suitable for all skin types (in cleansers)

Main Actions

✓ foaming✓ softening✓ natural component of soap✓ conditioning

Lauric + Myristic + Capric — the coconut triad

Coconut oil provides excellent foam due to the combination of lauric (C12, ~48%), myristic (C14, ~18%) and capric (C10, ~7%) acids. This "triad" is responsible for the characteristic soapy and cleansing properties of coconut in cosmetics.

CategoryEmollients

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