Surfactants in homemade cosmetics: how to choose the right one for your shampoo or shower gel

If you make your own shampoos, shower gels, or cleaning products, sooner or later you will encounter surfactants. They decide how your product will cleanse, foam, how gentle it will be to the skin, and how pleasant it is to use.

What are surfactants?

Surfactants are substances that help combine water and fat. Water alone removes grease from skin or hair very poorly. A surfactant has two parts: one that likes water and another that binds to oils and fats.

Thanks to this dual nature, a surfactant can attach to sebum, dirt, and cosmetic residues and help rinse them away with water. This is why surfactants are the basis of shampoos, shower gels, bubble baths, and facial cleansers.

How does cleansing work?

When washing, surfactants attach themselves to the grease. Their oil-loving part grips the oil, while their water-loving part remains oriented towards the water. This results in small structures called micelles.

Imagine micelles as tiny balls that trap grease inside, surrounded externally by the water-loving part. Because of this, water can easily wash them away.

Foam is not everything

Many customers judge a shampoo by the amount of foam. A rich foam is pleasant, but it does not automatically mean the product cleans better. Some mild surfactants foam less but may be very suitable for sensitive skin or frequent use.

Main groups of surfactants

The most commonly used surfactants in homemade production

Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate (SCI)

Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate (SCI) is one of the most popular surfactants for solid shampoo bars. It is gentle, well-tolerated, and creates a pleasant creamy foam.

• Suitable for solid shampoos,
• gentler than stronger sulfate surfactants,
• a good choice for frequent washing,
• harder to process, requires some patience during production.

Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate (SLSA)

Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate (SLSA) is loved for rich foam. It is often used in fizzy bath products, solid shampoo bars, and bubbling cleansers.

• significantly supports foaming,
• good for solid products,
• can be dusty in powder form during handling.

Sodium Coco Sulfate (SCS)

Sodium Coco Sulfate (SCS) has higher cleansing power and produces rich foam. It is suitable where stronger degreasing is required, e.g., for oilier hair.

• stronger cleansing effect,
• rich foam,
• may be drying in higher concentrations,
• recommended to combine with gentler surfactants.

Cocamidopropyl Betaine

Cocamidopropyl Betaine is an amphoteric surfactant often used as a secondary surfactant. It softens the formula, supports foam, and may help with thickening.

• softens anionic surfactants,
• supports foam,
• improves the feeling upon use,
• suitable for liquid shampoos and shower gels.

Decyl Glucoside and Coco Glucoside

Decyl Glucoside and Coco Glucoside are non-ionic surfactants. They are popular in natural cosmetics and suitable for gentle cleansing products.

• mild surfactants suitable even for sensitive skin,
• combine well with other surfactants,
• on their own they may create a thinner and less foamy product.

Comparison of selected surfactants

Why combine several surfactants?

One surfactant rarely does it all. One may clean well, another softens, a third boosts foam, and another improves the feel upon use. That’s why professional formulas usually include a combination of several surfactants.

The most common mistakes when working with surfactants

Quick reference: which surfactant to choose?