Surfactants are a large category of ingredients that perform a range of functions. They are often found in cleansers, shower gels and shampoos.
They are molecules with a head (hydrophilic) and a tail (hydrophobic). The hydrophilic head aligns itself towards water while the hydrophobic tail captures oil and dirt, creating droplets called micelles. Emulsifiers are used to help bind together incompatible ingredients, usually oil and water. They can be found in a variety of prepackaged and processed foods, baked goods, and other nut butters, shelf-stable frostings. Often emulsifiers are used in conjunction with surfactants. Cosmetic Surfactants are important to help make a product look and perform the same each time it is used, and can have a significant impact on skin feel and performance. Cosmetic surfactants can come in many forms and vary greatly in their properties. Surfactants are an important ingredient in many cosmetic products. They can make creams smoother and more likely to leave the skin feeling softer. They also can make the product more easily absorbed by the skin. That is why they are often used in facial masks and exfoliating peels, as well as anti-aging creams and moisturizers. Binders can be added to solid ingredients in solid, powdered or almost solid cream formulations, to help them adhere to each other and form a cohesive product. They also help to improve the stability of emulsions and the shelf-life of cosmetics. Some of the binders used in pressed powder cosmetics are zinc or magnesium stearate, kaolin and oils. These binders coat the dry powder particles and make them more waterproof. Solubilizers are a type of surfactant that are used to make otherwise insoluble substances such as essential oils or fragrance oils soluble in water. This is a very common use of emulsifiers in cosmetic and personal care formulations. When the solubilizer is added to a solvent it breaks down the solute and distributes it equally throughout the solution. It is then able to dissolve the solute in the solvent and create an isotropic solution. Solubilizers are commonly found in soaps and detergents, however they can also be very effective in cosmetic formulations. They are able to provide mildness, foaming and cleansing properties as well as ensuring that essential oil and fragrance oils are properly distributed within a product. Wetting agents are chemicals that lower the surface tension of liquids. They are used in detergents, shampoos, soaps and other cleaning products. They can also be added to cosmetics to increase emulsification and foaming properties, as well as reduce water runoff in formulations. Detergents are synthetic, man-made chemicals designed to clean dirt and grease from a variety of surfaces. They have a variety of uses in cosmetics, including shampoo, laundry liquid, hand soaps and stain removers. They have detergency, wetting, emulsifying, dispersing and foaming properties. They also have a number of antibacterial and antioxidant effects. Surfactants can be ionic, non-ionic or zwitterionic. Anionic surfactants are the strongest and are used to break up dirt and grease on the skin, hair and clothing. Non-ionic surfactants are gentler and have a lower CMC. They are a good choice for formulating shampoo and body wash products for babies and toddlers as they are not harsh on the skin or hair. They can also be used to hydrate the skin. They form a resistant film on the skin to reduce water loss and lock in nourishing ingredients.
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