Surfactant system enhances conditioning and fragrance

But as consumers become increasingly busy, they now seek more sophisticated shampoos that perform multiple functions, in addition to having cleansing capabilities. Many times though, consumers continue to find the use of separate shampoos and conditioners to be more effective than a single multifunctional shampoo. This is largely because modern hair care needs now require greater conditioning due to the increasing popularity of perming, straightening, colouring and bleaching. As a result, consumers demand extra care benefits from the cleansing routine, something best achieved with the incorporation of both anionic and cationic surfactants.

Surfactants in shampoo

A shampoo typically contains anionic surfactants, which are mainly responsible for cleansing and foaming functions. Effective anionic surfactant systems work quickly at relatively low temperatures, are effective in both hard and soft water, have the ability to remove lipids and other deposits left after previous hair treatments, and do not leave any residues of its own. In addition, because consumers often perceive shampoos that foam well to have effective cleansing capabilities, anionic surfactants must be able to quickly produce flash foams, even though science has yet to find solid evidence for this correlation. For these reasons, ammonium lauryl sulfate (ALS) and sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) are the most commonly used anionic shampoo surfactants. Cationic surfactants, on the other hand, are not as commonly found in shampoos. These substances are key in enhancing conditioning performance, which involves silicone deposition and retention. This is possible because cationic molecules have the ability to adhere to wet surfaces by static attraction, and are not easily washed off. As a result, cationic surfactants provide good lubricity during application and rinsing. Although the inclusion of anionic and cationic surfactants in a single multifunctional shampoo would be ideal, these two substances do not work well together, and in fact, hinder each other’s performances. Research has found that the inclusion of cationic surfactants in a typical micellar formulation actually causes the shampoo’s conditioning performance to deteriorate. However, recent advancements have allowed formulators to create shampoos that incorporate both positively and negatively charged surfactants, without impeding product efficacy. In fact, such hair care solutions have a more pronounced ability to repair damaged hair, as well as enhance fragrance delivery and retention.