Contents
- What is a surfactant
- Myths about surfactants
- Myth 1. There are many cosmetics without surfactants, and they are better.
- Myth 2. Surfactants are added to cosmetics in order to reduce the cost of products and spoil our skin.
- Myth 3. Surfactants are soap and sulfates.
- Myth 4. Natural cosmetics do not contain surfactants and preservatives, therefore they are safe.
- Funds overview
The abbreviation SAW scares many: either it sounds ominous, or it is deciphered incorrectly. We prove that there is nothing to fear. And much of what is said about these components of cosmetics is just myths.
What is a surfactant
We will not open America by saying that surfactants (detergents) are surfactants. But, perhaps, we will be surprised if we say that it is almost impossible to do without them.
Surfactants are part of most beauty products, namely, almost 90%
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Myths about surfactants
Myth 1. There are many cosmetics without surfactants, and they are better.
You will be upset, but surfactants are present in most cosmetics – in almost 90% of the funds, from washing gels and expensive creams to shampoos and toothpaste.
Moreover, they are also in micellar water, since micelles are also a form of surfactant.
Myth 2. Surfactants are added to cosmetics in order to reduce the cost of products and spoil our skin.
No. You just can’t do without them.
- In cleaning products, surfactants are the main ingredient, whether cosmetics or dishwashing liquid. They work like this: they cling and envelop particles of greasy contaminants (sebum, makeup) with their “tails” and are washed off, mixing with water. After that, the skin or hair becomes clean.
- Surfactants help combine fat and water components into a homogeneous opaque emulsion (moisturizing fluid, cream or lotion for washing).
- Surfactants are also included in transparent lotions, and in many tonics, if fats are present in their composition. It is surfactants that dissolve beneficial additives (vitamin E, natural oils) in the water base. Without them, according to the laws of chemistry, fat will simply float in water.
Myth 3. Surfactants are soap and sulfates.
If the manufacturer announces the absence of soap in the composition of the product or writes that it is sulfate-free, this does not mean that there are no surfactants there. In addition to well-known synthetic sulfates (SLS – sodium lauryl sulfate or SLES – sodium laureth sulfate), natural surfactants – lecithin or vegetable fat derivatives – can be found in cosmetic products.
Myth 4. Natural cosmetics do not contain surfactants and preservatives, therefore they are safe.
We will talk about preservatives in another article, but now answer the question: how is the state of a homogeneous beautiful emulsion achieved in natural cosmetics, if it contains both oils and water? Exactly.
Conclusion: Surfactants are a given that should be accepted if you use cosmetics. This is not the biggest evil against the backdrop of global environmental problems, eating disorders, bad habits, etc.
If the manufacturer notifies about the absence of soap in the composition of the product or writes that it is sulfate-free, this does not mean that there are no surfactants there.
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Funds overview
Intensive anti-dandruff shampoo with micro-exfoliating effect Kerium DS, La Roche-Posay
And here surfactants work: the mild detergent sodium laureth sulfate thoroughly cleanses the skin and hair, and cocamidopropyl betaine (coco-betaine) maintains an optimal pH level.
Micellar make-up remover 3-in-1 Normaderm, Vichy
Mild surfactants, in particular disodium cocoamphodiacetate and micellar production technology, guarantee gentle and thorough cleansing even for sensitive skin.
Softening face cream “Revitalizing Moisturizing”, Garnier
Along with lotus extract and other moisturizing and caring ingredients, the formula also includes surfactants that make the texture as comfortable as possible for the skin.