Today we’re talking ‘surfactants’ — and here’s why.
Put simply, they’re among the hardest-working ingredients in modern skincare and haircare formulations. From helping products cleanse effectively to improving texture and enhancing scent distribution, they play a vital role in creating the smooth, stable, great-feeling products we love to use every day. If you're curious about what goes into personal care products - or thinking of making your own - understanding surfactants is key.
In this article, you’ll learn key details about surfactants, including what they are, their core purposes and benefits, and how to use popular surfactants safely in your DIY formulations.
What Even Are Surfactants?
Surfactants, short for surface-active agents, are versatile ingredients used throughout skincare, haircare, and personal-care formulations. Their unique structure allows them to interact with both water and oil, making them essential for products that need to cleanse, foam, emulsify, solubilise, or spread smoothly across the skin. You’ll find them in everything from facial cleansers and shampoos to lotions, makeup removers, micellar waters, and even room sprays.
At a molecular level, surfactants have two ends: one that is attracted to water (hydrophilic) and one that is attracted to oils and impurities (lipophilic). This dual nature allows them to loosen dirt, help oils blend with water, disperse essential oils evenly, and stabilise many different types of cosmetic formulations.
Natural vs Synthetic Surfactants
Surfactants can be either naturally derived or synthetically produced, and both types serve important roles in cosmetic formulations.
- Natural surfactants - such as plant-derived glucosides and naturally sourced solubilisers - are made from renewable raw materials like coconut oil, sugar, and castor oil. They’re typically gentler on the skin, readily biodegradable, and increasingly preferred by formulators seeking eco-friendly, sustainable alternatives.
- Synthetic surfactants are manufactured through chemical processes and can offer strong cleansing power, rich foam, and reliable performance in challenging formulations.
While both types are effective, natural surfactants are becoming especially popular as consumers look for milder, more sustainable ingredients in their skincare and haircare products.
Key Purposes of Surfactants in Cosmetics
Surfactants are incredibly multitasking ingredients, and the way they behave in a formula gives them a whole range of useful jobs. Depending on the type you choose, they can help your product cleanse, feel smoother, stay stable, or even carry fragrance more evenly.
Surfactant Core Functions
- Cleansing
Lift and remove dirt, oil, sweat, makeup, and impurities by emulsifying them so they rinse away easily. - Foaming / Lathering
Create foam that enhances the sensory experience in products like shampoos, body washes, and facial cleansers. - Emulsifying
Help oil and water blend together to form stable emulsions in creams, lotions, and serums. - Solubilising
Dissolve small amounts of oils, essential oils, or fragrances into water-based formulations. - Supporting scent distribution and retention
Help disperse fragrance evenly throughout a formula, stabilise aromatic compounds, and improve how scent is released during use. - Wetting / Spreading
Reduce surface tension so products spread more easily on skin or hair. - Conditioning (for certain surfactants)
Leave skin and hair feeling smoother, softer, and easier to manage — especially the cationic types. - Thickening / Viscosity modification
Contribute to product texture and thickness for a more desirable consistency. - Stabilising
Prevent separation and support overall formulation stability.
Why Use Surfactants?
Surfactants don’t just make products work - they make them work better.
From rich conditioners to beautifully scented body mists, surfactants bring a whole range of benefits that improve performance, texture, stability, and overall user experience. They are used because they:
- Enhance cleansing performance by lifting and removing dirt, oil, and impurities.
- Improve sensory feel, helping products feel smoother, lighter, or silkier on the skin and hair.
- Stabilise formulas by helping oil and water stay evenly blended.
- Support scent distribution, ensuring fragrances and essential oils disperse evenly and release consistently during use.
- Improve spreadability by reducing surface tension, making creams, cleansers, and serums easier to apply.
- Enable water-based products to carry oils, allowing essential oils, fragrances, and oil-soluble actives to disperse safely and effectively.
- Create lather and foam in shampoos, body washes, and facial cleansers for a satisfying user experience.
- Offer naturally derived options, such as coconut- and sugar-based glucosides, which are gentle, biodegradable, and increasingly popular among consumers seeking natural, eco-friendly skincare and haircare.
In short, the right surfactants help your formula perform at its best — from the way it feels to how well it holds together. But which surfactants work best for which purpose? It comes down to their type.
Main Types of Surfactants
Surfactants come in several different forms, and each type brings something unique to your formulation - from gentle cleansing and richer foam to better conditioning or improved stability. Understanding the four main surfactant categories makes it much easier to choose the right ingredient for your product.
Anionic Surfactants
Anionic surfactants carry a negative charge, which gives them excellent cleansing and foaming abilities. They’re commonly found in shampoos, body washes, and facial cleansers where strong cleansing performance is needed. While effective, some anionic surfactants can be drying, so they’re often paired with milder types to balance the formula.
Non-Ionic Surfactants
Non-ionic surfactants have no electrical charge, making them some of the mildest and most versatile options available. They’re ideal for gentle cleansers, solubilisers, emulsifiers, and products designed for sensitive skin. Many of AWO’s surfactants fall into this category, including naturally derived glucosides and plant-based solubilisers.
Amphoteric Surfactants
Amphoteric surfactants can carry either a positive or negative charge depending on the pH of the formula. They’re known for being very mild, offering good foam stabilisation and an improved skin feel. They’re commonly used in baby products, 2-in-1 cleansers, and gentle body washes.
Cationic Surfactants
Cationic surfactants carry a positive charge, allowing them to bond well to hair and skin. They’re used mainly in conditioners, detanglers, and some skin-conditioning products. While they aren’t typically used for cleansing, they provide excellent conditioning, smoothing, and anti-static benefits.
Popular Surfactants for DIY Formulations
Coco Glucoside
A mild, plant-derived non-ionic surfactant made from coconut oil and sugar, Coco Glucoside offers gentle cleansing, light foaming, and excellent skin compatibility. It’s ideal for natural formulations, baby products, and any cleanser designed to be extra gentle and biodegradable.
Decyl Glucoside
A very gentle, non-ionic surfactant known for its mild cleansing action and creamy foam, Decyl Glucoside is perfect for sensitive skin cleansers, sulfate-free shampoos, micellar waters, and products where a soft, soothing skin feel is essential.
Coco Caprylate/Caprate
A lightweight, plant-derived emollient and texture enhancer, Coco Caprylate/Caprate is valued for its silky skin feel and excellent spreadability. While it isn’t a surfactant, it’s often used alongside them to improve glide, absorption and softness in lotions, creams, serums and hair care products. Commonly described as a natural alternative to silicones, it helps enhance skin and hair feel without leaving a greasy residue.
A mild, plant-based surfactant, Castille Liquid Soap provides gentle cleansing with a soft, creamy lather. It’s ideal for natural hand soaps, body washes, and other formulations needing a simple, biodegradable cleanser.
Safe Use of Surfactants
Making your own formulations is a great way to take control of the ingredients you use, and surfactants are no exception. To keep your products gentle, effective, and stable, it’s important to follow a few simple safe-use guidelines:
- Follow recommended usage rates to avoid dryness, irritation, or reduced performance.
- Choose the right type of surfactant for your formula — non-ionic, naturally derived options are typically the mildest.
- Avoid overusing surfactants in rinse-off products, as excessive levels can strip natural oils from the skin and hair.
- Solubilise essential oils and fragrances properly before adding them to water-based formulations to prevent irritation and separation.
- Check pH compatibility, especially when working with amphoteric or anionic surfactants, which can behave differently at varying pH levels.
- Combine surfactants when needed — blending gentle and stronger options can improve performance without compromising mildness.
- Patch-test the final product, particularly for sensitive-skin formulations or products containing essential oils.
Where to Buy Surfactants
If you’re looking for high-quality, naturally derived surfactants and other cosmetic ingredients, always buy from a trusted supplier for formulators across Australia — like AWO. Our raw ingredients are carefully sourced, clearly labelled, and chosen with safety and performance in mind, making it easier for you to create products you can feel confident about.
FAQs
What are natural surfactants and why are they popular?
Natural surfactants are plant-derived ingredients made from sources like coconut oil, sugars or castor oil. They’re popular because they’re gentle, biodegradable, and well-suited to clean beauty formulations, making them a preferred choice for sensitive skin and eco-conscious consumers.
Are surfactants safe to use in skincare?
Yes - surfactants are safe when used at the recommended levels. Choosing gentle, naturally derived surfactants such as glucosides can help keep skincare and haircare products mild and well-tolerated.
Do surfactants affect a product’s scent?
They can. Surfactants help solubilise and evenly disperse essential oils and fragrances, which improves scent distribution and stability in water-based formulations.
What is the mildest type of surfactant?
Non-ionic surfactants, especially plant-derived glucosides, are considered to be some of the mildest. They cleanse effectively without stripping the skin, making them ideal for sensitive skin and formulations intended for everyday use.