Common Surfactants Used in Facial Cleansers

Surfactants are key ingredients in facial cleansers. Different types bring different cleaning power and skin‑friendly performance. Below is a simple introduction to several widely‑seen surfactants for face washing products.

Soap‑based surfactants Soap‑based surfactants are made from fatty acids and alkalis. Common fatty acids include myristic acid, lauric acid, palmitic acid and stearic acid. Typical alkalis are potassium hydroxide and sodium hydroxide.

Soap‑based formulas have strong oil‑removing ability with high alkalinity. They work well for oily skin with thick cuticles, but may irritate dry skin. If soap‑related raw materials appear high on the ingredient list, this product belongs to soap‑based cleansers.

Many well‑known brands use soap‑based cleansers. You can use them for night‑time cleansing, use less product, or shorten contact time on your face. When mixed with other surfactants, soap‑based systems can reduce irritation while keeping good cleaning performance.

SLS / SLES surfactants Representative ingredients are sodium lauryl sulfate and sodium laureth sulfate. Their cleaning power and irritation level are second only to soap‑based surfactants. They are more suitable for oily‑skin users.

Amino‑acid‑based surfactants Amino‑acid‑based surfactants are weakly acidic and skin‑friendly, with average basic cleaning power. They fit dry skin and sensitive skin. Their ingredient structure usually follows the form: “‑acyl‑ + amino acid + sodium / potassium”.

Please note: not all products labelled “amino acid cleanser” contain real amino‑acid‑based surfactants. Real amino‑acid‑based cleansers require these surfactants to sit high in the ingredient list. Simply adding amino‑acid raw materials does not make a true amino‑acid cleanser. By mixing with other surfactants or adjusting formulas, some amino‑acid‑based cleansers can achieve satisfying cleaning results.

Non‑ionic APG surfactants APG surfactants are more gentle than amino‑acid‑based surfactants, with similar cleaning power. Their ingredient names usually end with “‑glycoside”. A small number of people may get skin allergies to APG. For users without allergies, APG is a good alternative choice.

Betaine‑type surfactants Betaine‑type surfactants are very mild but have weak cleaning power. They are seldom used alone. Manufacturers often blend them with other surfactants to lower overall product irritation.

Other surfactant types Besides the above‑mentioned popular categories, there are some less‑common surfactants in the market. Some of them offer both good cleansing capacity and low irritation, though consumers meet them less frequently in daily life.