The Real Story Behind "Natural Surfactants"
Are you looking for cleansers, shampoos, or baby detergents labeled with "natural surfactants"? While these products are popular, the term "natural" often means different things depending on who is using it, and it is frequently used as a marketing tactic to justify higher prices.
To help you navigate this, here are the three types of surfactants often categorized as "natural":
1. Fatty Acid Sodium Salts (The Original Surfactant)
Used since before the industrial era, these are essentially what we call natural soaps. They are created through saponification—a chemical reaction between fats (oils) and an alkaline substance (such as Sodium Hydroxide or Potassium Hydroxide).
When natural oils react with an alkali, they become: Sodium Palmate (Palm Oil + Alkali), Sodium Palm Kernelate (Palm Kernel Oil + Alkali), Sodium Cocoate (Coconut Oil + Alkali), Sodium Olivate (Olive Oil + Alkali)
2. Soapberry (Sapindus Mukorossi)
Often called "Soapnuts," this is one of the few substances that possesses surfactant properties in its raw, natural state. The saponin found in the fruit creates foam. While some products are marketed as "natural" by adding Soapberry, it is usually a "concept ingredient" added in small amounts. This is because, as a raw natural material, its cleaning power is relatively weak and lacks significant advantages.
3. Natural-Derived Surfactants
Many products emphasize "naturally-derived" ingredients, such as those from coconuts. However, the label "naturally-derived" is often hollow, as nearly all chemical compounds are either obtained from nature or synthesized to mimic natural molecules. Here are a few examples frequently marketed this way:
Sodium Coco Sulfate is actually a variation of Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS). While SLS or SLES is reacted with lauric acid, Sodium Coco Sulfate is reacted with coconut-processed alcohols. Since Sodium Coco Sulfate contains about 60% SLS, it is logically inconsistent to treat it as a purely natural alternative to SLS.
Among non-ionic surfactants, "-glucosides" are being developed extensively using eco-friendly methods, which is why they are often marketed as "naturally-derived." Of course, glucosides can also be manufactured synthetically, and there is no significant quality difference between the two.
This group includes Coco-Glucoside (a combination of coconut fatty alcohol and glucose), Decyl Glucoside (a combination of decanol, a fatty alcohol derived from coconut or palm, and glucose), and Lauryl Glucoside (created by converting lauric acid from coconut into lauryl alcohol and combining it with glucose)
[Coco-Glucoside involves processing the coconut oil itself, while the others involve processing specific fatty acids extracted from coconut or other plant oils.]
Tips for Smart Shopping
New surfactants, whether naturally-derived or synthetic, are constantly being developed. Rather than paying a premium simply because a product uses the word "natural," it is more important to understand the actual characteristics of the ingredients before making a purchase.
Discover our Cica Soap for dry skin, formulated with fatty acid sodium salts.