The Combination of Surfactants for Improving Application Performance—The Effective Application of Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate

Abstract

Surfactant is the core active ingredient in personal cleaning products, which has potential irritation to skin and eyes. However, the mechanism of regulating the irritation of surfactants is still unknown. In this paper, we explored the effect and mechanism of adding co-surfactants on the irritation of the popular green surfactant potassium cocoyl glycine (PCG) system through the combination of experiment and molecular dynamics simulation. The results showed that the clusters formed by the combination of PCG and co-surfactants were larger and more stable, which led to fewer free monomers and a reduction in surfactant irritation. Additionally, the introduction of co-surfactants improved the foam performance of PCG systems, increasing both the maximum foam volume and the foam half-life. These results provide theoretical support and basic data for the development of cleaner products with lower irritation. Based on this, an amino acid facial cleansing product was developed and its performance and efficacy including cleaning ability and human safety testing were evaluated. The results showed that the cleaning product prepared by PCG and co-surfactants had not only excellent cleaning effects but also better moisturizing effects and soothing effects, which enable it to be safe and suitable for sensitive skin.