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Sustainability: Trends in Polymers and Surfactants for Hair Care

By: Michael J. Fevola, PhD, Johnson & Johnson; Camille Sasik, Aveda; Ramachandra Shastry, Arizona Chemical; and Robert Y. Lochhead, PhD, University of Southern Mississippi

Posted: January 5, 2012, from the January 2012 issue of Cosmetics & Toiletries.

The present article considers some of the latest trends in sustainable surfactant and polymer technologies for hair care. It is not intended to be comprehensive but more of a look at a few bright spots in this emerging field.

Current Perspectives on Natural Surfactants

The growth of the sustainability and natural products megatrends has led to ever-increasing consumer appeal for greener products in the personal cleansing category.^{1, 2} Whether motivated by a sense of environmental and social responsibility or by the perception—sometimes false—that such products are safer and healthier, consumers are continuously seeking and preferentially purchasing so-called natural cleansing products. Accordingly, formulators must identify and employ functionally equivalent natural alternatives to the traditional surfactants used in cleansers, to provide aesthetically pleasing lather and detergency without irritation.

This is only an excerpt of the full article that appeared in Cosmetics & Toiletries, but you can purchase the full-text version.