November 19, 2020
The Surfactant Guide – Part 2
by Leonie Poppe
Today we continue with our surfactant guide. Last week you already learned a lot about the properties and behavior of surfactants and now we're going to take a closer look at the great micelles and above all I'd like to give you a few tips so that you can clean your skin properly and gently in the future!
#4 Micelles are not a new invention
Fig. 1
When it comes to surfactants, micelles are of course also an important topic! ✺ Micelles are often sold as an incredible "new way of cleaning". They are advertised as being particularly mild and well tolerated and are therefore very tempting with promises!
The fact is, however, that wherever we have surfactants, which is actually in almost all cleaning products, we also find micelles! In reality, surfactants simply exist in water, among other things, as micelles.
They do this precisely because of their amphiphilic character. They have a tendency to group together in water. They arrange themselves on the water surface and thus stabilize the interface between water and air. This is how soap bubbles and foam are formed, for example.
So they put their water-loving heads into the water, while the rest of them would rather avoid the water and stick their heads up into the air or combine with fat-soluble substances. The stronger the surfactant, the stronger and more stable the foam formation. (3)
In addition to this phenomenon, surfactants also do the following: They arrange themselves in a spherical or rod-shaped manner. This is called a micelle!
So it's not new, not special and not milder! It still depends on which surfactant is in your cleaning product. It's always worth taking a look at the INCI list! :)
# 5 Only when it foams will it be really clean!
This is a very common fallacy!
Because nowadays, our skin is actually fighting against our washing cult! We scrub, wash, scent and clean ourselves to the finest of standards! Many people are aware that this is not ideal for our skin, but we still want to feel clean, smell good and pure.
Many people think of a bubble bath, a head full of foam or even a foaming cleansing gel for their daily evening routine.
However, as I have already explained, the surfactants that give us the cloudy white color are often the most aggressive to our skin, especially to its delicate protective layer. As always when the acid mantle is unsatisfied, irritation, redness or even allergies occur. The moisture in the skin evaporates more easily and it dries out.
Thankfully, research never stands still and there are now mild surfactants that have good foaming power. Our amphoteric candidates are one example! This means we can satisfy our need for foam and our skin will still say thank you!
# 6 Are surfactants harmful to the environment?
Of course, we must always be aware that the products we use to clean our bodies can end up in our rivers and soil via wastewater.
In the past, insoluble surfactants would form mountains of foam on lakes and rivers and place a heavy burden on the creatures living in them. Thank God, the German Detergent and Cleaning Products Act introduced a rule that surfactants must be at least 90% biodegradable. Not 100%, but still. So we have to take care of the last 10% ourselves.
Biodegradable means that a substance can be broken down by microorganisms into simple metabolic products. Bacteria perform this job in sewage treatment plants and also in bodies of water.
This makes it all the more important that we use surfactants that are made from renewable raw materials, such as vegetable fats, because these taste much better to bacteria than purely synthetic ones and can be digested much better by them.
How do I clean my skin properly?
This topic of cleaning is so important to me because it is one of the most essential steps in your skincare routine. We are exposed to so many stresses every day. Dirt, fine dust from the air, make-up, creams and many other particles settle on our skin. It doesn't sound very pleasant at first, but that's just how it is! Especially when we spend a lot of time in cities and densely populated areas.
That's why I really want to recommend that you cleanse your face of all these deposits in the evening before you go to bed. Use the mildest possible cleanser that doesn't use any aggressive surfactants. For the sake of your skin and the environment.
These are my most important points about facial cleansing:
- Daily facial cleansing (especially in the evening, even if you don’t wear makeup)
- not too often! 1-2 times a day is completely sufficient
- mild surfactants that do not attack the skin barrier
- Do not use drying alcohols (even on impure skin)
- Facial toner support the cleansing of the skin and additionally supply it with active ingredients
I know that many people only wash their face with water. I have to admit that I was one of them for a long time. However, that doesn't work for most people. Often they don't use make-up and their skin is very insensitive. But in the long run, even pure water with its neutral pH value of 7 can attack the skin and its rather acidic pH value of 5.5, irritating it and drying it out. Apart from that, we know that water can only wash away substances that can be dissolved in water. What about the fat-soluble components?
This is how we clean at junglück – These surfactants we use
We use a combination of different plant-based surfactants in our cleaning products, shower gel, shampoo and cleansing oil.
- Sugar surfactant: Coco Glucoside
- mild anionic surfactant: Disodium/Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate
- amphoteric: Cocoamidopropyl Betaine
They come in our shower gel and in shampoo The sugar surfactant further weakens the anionic surfactant. This gives us super cleaning power, good foam formation and yet the skin barrier remains intact.
If you want to know how our cleansing oil works, you can also find out more here read more about it!
I really hope I was able to give you a little insight into the world of surfactants and make you even more aware of what you are putting on your skin and why your skin might not be improving. Maybe it was because you were using the wrong product or simply because you were cleaning it too aggressively?
Click here to go directly to our gentle cleaning products!
Take time for yourself & be good to yourself!
Your Leonie
[Mr]
Sources
- Cosmetic ingredients from A to Z, Heinz Knieriemen, 6th edition, 2005, AT Verlag Baden and Munich
- Personal care and cosmetics, Sabine Ellsässer, 2nd edition
- Guide through the world of cosmetics, Esther Witte, 2nd edition, 2019