What are surfactants?
Surfactants or “surface-active agents” are molecules with a hydrophilic (water-loving) and a hydrophobic (water-fearing or oil-loving) part. Due to their unique makeup, they can bind both oil and water together allowing for cleaning, emulsifying and even conditioning. In fact, the emulsifiers that we regularly use in creams & lotions are a type of surfactant.
Surfactants are divided according to the ion, leading to the categories: anionic, non-ionic, cationic and amphoteric. These groups determine how and what a surfactant can be used for. It’s common to mix surfactants from different groups in order to boost their properties, many cleansers have a primary surfactant and a secondary surfactant to enhance cleansing abilities. However, in this recipe, we’ll only use one surfactant: decyl glucoside.
Decyl Glucoside
Decyl glucoside is a mild, natural surfactant made from corn, coconuts and sugar. It belongs to the non-ionic group of surfactants that are milder than anionic surfactants (FYI harsher cleansers like “sulfates” are anionic surfactants). Due to this, decyl glucoside is a common choice to use in both baby products and cleansers geared towards sensitive skin.
What is Decyl glucoside its a mild non-ionic surfactant that produces a rich lather and is suitable for sensitive skin and afro hair types. When combined with the Cocamidoproyl Betaine, it creates an excellent base for a gentle but effective shampoo.
Decyl glucoside benefits:
- Gentle on skin, making our cleanser suitable for everyday use, as well as for those with sensitive or acne prone skin
- Produces excellent foam: decyl glucoside has one of the best foaming capabilities of the natural surfactants that can boosts the effects of our face cleanser
- Emulsifying abilities: we can add fragrance by dispersing a small amount of oil (essential oils) in our cleanser thanks to the surfactant
- Plant-based and biodegradable
Combining surfactants
Natural surfactants or “surface-active agents” can combine both water and oil particles and as a result make great cleaning agents. The type and amount of surfactants used will directly affect the harshness or strength of the cream body wash.
There are four types of surfactants: Anionic, Cationic, Non-ionic, Amphoteric. These types represent the “charge” of the surfactant that determines it’s properties and how it interacts with your formula. By combining surfactants from different groups you can improve the performance of your cleanser.
Decyl glucoside is mild non-ionic and can be mixed with Cocobetaine (Cocamidopropyl betaine) which is amphoteric (surfactants that can change their charge depending on the pH). By itself, cocobetaine isn’t very effective as a cleansing agent but when used with other surfactants, it can boost foaming, conditioning and reduce irritation of other surfactants. It’s what’s known as a secondary surfactant, they work best when used to boost the abilities of other surfactants. Including secondary surfactants aren’t essential but they can help to provide a deeper more effective cleanser, without the need to use harsher surfactants like sulfates.
What is Cocamidopropyl Betaine?
Cocamidopropyl Betaine is the most widely used secondary surfactant (co-surfactant) in cosmetic formulations. It’s a mild naturally-derived amphoteric surfactant that boosts the performance of other surfactants, reducing irritation, enhancing foaming capabilities and creating milder cleansers
Benefits of cocamidopropyl betaine
Cocamidopropyl betaine’s greatest strength is its versatility, it can be used in almost any cleansing product as it works with the widest range of surfactants. Though mostly used as a secondary surfactant, it boasts good cleansing ability as a primary surfactant, particularly in mild formulations or specialty cleansers. Cocamidopropyl betaine creates milder formulations, especially when paired with high pH surfactants or for stronger cleansers such as shampoos and body washes.
