Mijaljica D, Spada F, Harrison IP, et al.
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland). Date of publication 2022 Mar 21;volume 27(6):.
1. Molecules. 2022 Mar 21;27(6):2010. doi: 10.3390/molecules27062010.
Skin Cleansing without or with Compromise: Soaps and Syndets.
Mijaljica D(1), Spada F(1), Harrison IP(1).
Author information:
(1)Department of Scientific Affairs, Ego Pharmaceuticals Pty Ltd., 21-31 Malcolm
Road, Braeside, VIC 3195, Australia.
Products designed to cleanse the skin commonly do so through surfactant action,
which leads to the lowering of the surface tension of the skin to facilitate the
removal of dirt from its surface. Skin cleansers generally come in one of two
types: soap-based and synthetic detergents, or syndets. While the latter can
effectively maintain the native skin structure, function and integrity, the
former tends to negatively affect the skin by causing barrier disruption, lipid
dissolution and pH alteration. Despite this, soap is still often preferred,
possibly due to the negative connotations around anything that is not perceived
as 'natural'. It is, therefore, important that the science behind cleansers,
especially those designed for the maintenance of healthy skin and the management
of common skin conditions such as eczema, be understood by both formulators and
end-users. Here, we carefully weigh the advantages and disadvantages of the
different types of surfactant-the key ingredient(s) in skin cleansers-and
provide insight into surfactants' physicochemical properties, biological
activity and potential effects. Fine-tuning of the complex characteristics of
surfactants can successfully lead to an 'optimal' skin cleanser that can
simultaneously be milder in nature, highly effective and beneficial, and offer
minimal skin interference and environmental impact.
DOI: 10.3390/molecules27062010
PMCID: PMC8954092
PMID: 35335373 [Indexed for MEDLINE]
Conflict of interest statement: The authors declare no conflict of interest.
