Mild surfactants : Facts and illusions

It can be stated that mild surfactants are available. Without making considerable cuts on the products performance, dermatological evaluations are possible that justify the description mild. The dermatological compatibility, so called mildness is mainly determined by the following properties: molecular size, polarity of the ionic group, ionogenity, chain length of the lipophilic molecular part. In modern high concentrated final products it is difficult to increase the mildness of the formulation if alkylsulfates or alkylethersulfates are used as basic surfactants. Therefore a very mild and effective surfactant has to be used. Under these aspects the new sulfosuccinate based on citric acid (INCI name: disodium PEG-5 laurylcitrate sulfosuccinate) is available with very good dermatological and applicational properties