Skip to main content

Followers

What Are Surfactants & How Do They Work in Your Skincare

What are Surfactants and how do they work in your skincare.

I’ve put together some info that will give you an idea of how surfactants work about your skincare (Gian Reew thank you for the inspiration on this one). It should help you recognise these ingredients and compare them to the most common ones found in skincare/cosmetic formulations. I’ll keep it relatively simple (but if I geek out too much let me know :)

I hear people use the words Surfactants or Detergents interchangeably however, they are not the same entirely. Surfactant represents one compound, detergent refers to a completed formulation of which the surfactant is only one aspect of that formula. Surfactants represents a large group of ingredients and can be found in the majority of skincare products. The word surfactant is a shortened from "surface-active agent”.

The easiest way to explain it would be to first discuss surface tension. This is created when two substances are combined (for eg. liquid/solid, liquid/gas or liquid/liquid. The second ingredient of these examples makes the surface of the first liquid create a sort of membrane, which basically means some micro-forces make the liquid molecules stick together.  It’s a chemical that stabilises formulas containing both oil and water by reducing the surface tension at the interface between the oil and water molecules. Because water and oil don’t dissolve in each other, a surfactant has to be added to keep the mixture from separating into layers. 

Surfactants in cosmetics provide one or more of six different functions:

Detergents - Cleansing surfactants in soaps/detergents that are used on the skin/hair for cleansing. These surfactants will draw the oil into the surfactant. Then, when the surfactant is rinsed away holding onto the oil, the oils are rinsed away with water
Preservatives/Stabilisers -  surfactants can be utilised to increase the stability of a product, some have anti-microbial properties and can be used as preservatives.
Foaming agents - Cleansers/shampoos that are in a foam formulation as opposed to a liquid form does not actually have anything to do with its ability to cleanse.  
Emulsifiers - (Moisturising/Wetting)  -  are mixtures of oil and water that are semi-stable and do not separate out into their oil/water layers. The surfactant allows the emulsion to have a blended quality. Examples of emulsions are moisturising creams and lotions. When applied to the skin, the oils are delivered to the skin surface.
Conditioning agents - these leave-on skin/hair-care products remain on the skin/hair, giving it a smooth feel due to the lipophilic (oily) portion of the molecule.
Solubilizers -  these are used when blending a small amount of oil into a large percentage of water. Some examples of products include fragrances and toners. 
There are 3 times of Surfactants:

Hydrophilic - attracted to water/repels oil
Hydrophobic - attracted to fat/repels water
Lipophilic - attracted to oil/repels fats, water

Surfactants stabilise formulas containing both oil and water as they have Hydrophilic, Hydrophobic and
Lipophilic Surfactants. Having these groups makes the surfactant amphiphilic which in turn allows the surfactants to be soluble in water while the hydrophobic group allows the surfactant to be soluble in oils.
The more common Surfactants found in most skin and haircare: (These are all sulfated detergents and some of these are best  to avoid for sensitive skin types)
  • Sodium lauryl sulfate
  • Ammonium laureth sulfate
  • Disodium lauryl sulfosuccinate
  • Cocamphocarboxyglycinate
  • Cocoamidopropyl betaine
  • Alpha-Olefin sulfonate
Not all the surfactants are the same and they’ve been divided into four groups. These are based on the electric charge of the water-attracting part of a surfactant molecule. Positively charged substances are pushed away from other positively charged substances, and are attracted to negatively charged ones. 

We can distinguish the following types of surfactants below:
Nonionic - No electric charge. They are the most often used group of surfactants in cosmetic formulations. These surfactants are often used in thicker products. Some examples are:
  • Fatty acid alcohols such as Cetearyl alcohol or stearyl alcohol
  • Emulsifying Wax NF
  • E-wax
  • Glyceryl Oleate
  • Ceteareths
  • Glyceryl Stearate
  • Oleh, Sorbitans
  • Lauryl Glucoside
  • Polyglycose
  • Ingredients with the prefix PEG.
Anionic - Negatively charges molecules. These are common on the market due to the low cost of production and are generally reactive with other ingredients. Some examples of these are:
  • Carboxylic acids
  • Phosphoric acid derivatives
  • Sulfonic acids
  • Sulfates
Cationic - Positively charged. Cationic surfactants don’t combine well with anionic surfactants but can attach to damaged hair or skin proteins. This characteristic can offer many skin-nourishing benefits. Some common cationic surfactants used in bath and body recipes are your:
  • Chlorides, Stearalkonium,  Centrimonium, and Benzalkonium)
  • Trimethyl Ammonium’s 
  • Methyl Sulfates
Amphoteric - Both negatively and positively charged. They are often used as secondary surfactants and have gentle/soothing properties. Their properties can be changed depending on the PH level. In a low PH/Acidic environment, they become nourishing agents for the skin. In higher PH/Alkaline products they increase the foaming process. Some examples of well know amphoteric surfactants are :
  • Coco Betaine
  • Lauryl Bentaine
  • Hydroxysultaines
I hope this helps you get a better understanding of how Surfactants work in your skincare products. If you have any questions let me know and if there’s any other topic you’d like covered let me know in the comments.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular Posts

Product Review: Paula's Choice Peptide Booster VS The Ordinary's The Buffet Serum

Today the battle of the Peptides serums is here. Before starting I would like to clarify that this is The Ordinary's The Buffet Serum that does not contain the Copper Peptides (I'm still skeptical of these). I've tested each product for 3 months to get an accurate gauge of the results. A 3 month period is usually a sufficient time to gauge improvements from any active ingredient. Though if it's more deeply seeded issues like acne or hyper-pigmentation this can take additional time. The Ordinary's The Buffet Serum: A fantastic product. This adds moisture to the skin and also gives it a slightly powerless appearance. Paula's Choice Peptide Booster: usually I'm an advocate for Paula's Choice products however, I couldn't get behind this one. It pilled on numerous occasions with various products I tested. A few occasions I was able to get this on without pilling it didn't give that slightly powerless effect The Buffet seemed to provide. ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Combining Active Ingredients - What Can And Can't I Combine

A very common question is what actives can, and can't be combined? There are so many actives around these days and at some point you end up scratching your head about what you can and can't combine when it comes to some of these ingredients. When it comes to combining actives some factors to consider are tolerance, sensitivity levels and chemical interactions. Personally I would avoid combining actives unless you’re treating something specific like pigmentation/acne/etc, are well acclimated to actives (though still be cautious) and/or have been prescribed a combination of one, or more of the below actives.   I’ve been prescribed a few compounded serums containing a few of the below actives to treat some hyper-pigmentation. While my skin is not easily irritated this definitely was a shock but also manageable when prepared. Once you’ve built a tolerance to these ingredients (and do not have sensitivity issues) you can look at combining them strategically to get the b...
Post a Comment
Read more

Do I Need A Mini Fridge For My Products

I see this come up so I thought I'd put some information that might help with this. Majority of skincare products are PH balanced and preserved to ensure the can be maintained in the common climate they're produced in.  There a few exceptions for those actives that are notoriously unstable when exposed to air, light, etc. These include Vitamin C, it's derivatives and Retinoids however, this is not necessary it's more so if you're looking to extend the life of your product.  This can also be used to enhance soothing properties of anti-inflammatory ingredients however, the product should not be left in the fridge but rather placed in 10-15 minutes prior. For a lot of products refrigeration can impact their efficacy and texture by essentially "shocking the product".I myself have fallen victim to the marketing of these (I have one along  my skincare products, rarely used). So while these do have some minor benefits I would not recommend this a...
Post a Comment
Read more

How To Use The Ordinary's 30% AHA + 2% BHA Peel, and Is Your Skin Ready For It?

Today I thought we’d talk about The Ordinary’s 30% AHA + 2% BHA Peel. I've seen a lot of people talking about this product and some are unsure if they need, or can use this potent product.  This is a very effective, yet potent product that should only be used by people who have acclimated their skin to acids, especially of these concentrations.  If you’re introducing these acids for the first time, or have sensitive prone skin this treatment is likely going to be too strong. The concentration in this is equivalent to some of the professional use exfoliants used in professional treatments (not to be confused with chemical peels but the exfoliants of the product range a clinic uses usually has a retail and professional range, with the latter being more potent). If you’re not used to AHA/BHA’s, or if you have used acids but not in such high concentrations this is not an exfoliant you’ll want to use just yet. It would be safest to opt for a lower concentration and g...
Post a Comment
Read more

Is Niacinamide A Treatment For Congested/Acne Prone Skin?

Niacinamide seems to be growing in popularity as an effective form of treatment for more moderate-severe congestion/acne-prone skin. While it does definitely have its benefits I thought I'd dispel a little misconception surrounding this well-rounded ingredient.  Generally B3 Supplements come in 3 forms: - Niacin - Nicotinamide - Nicotinamide Riboside Niacin  is a more easily converted NAD within the body. Nicotinamide, also known as  Niacinamide, is an amide (a molecule the nitrogen atom is bonded to by only one carbon atom) of nicotinic acid, which is commonly known as niacin.   Niacinamide  is the active form of vitamin B3 and a component of the coenzyme Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide NAD. Nicotinamide riboside (NR), on the other hand, is a chemically altered/synthetic form of nicotinamide that has unique attributes but limited uses. Niacinamide assists by building protein/ceramides and lipid function that keeps the ...
Post a Comment
Read more