Redbud Remedies

Know your Soap (Synthetic Surfactants)

Posted on 05/14/2009 at 05:33PM +AddThis

A large U.S. soap manufacturer recently won a landmark legal case, the lawsuit was filed against multiple companies who improperly and deceptively claimed that their products were “Organic” (Jason, Avalon, Giovanni, Aveda, Juice, Nature’s Gate, Kiss my Face, etc.) Two large Organic certifying bodies were also named as defendants in the suit (EcoCert, Oasis). Their claims were substantiated by evidence that the main components of the products were;

1.Made from petro-chemical derived ingredients or conventional non-organic agriculture material.
2.Surfactants that are preserved with synthetic petrochemical preservatives.
3.Use surfactants that are made from petrochemicals such as Cocamidopropyl betaine, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate. Olfein Sulfonate, etc.

It is important to shed light on synthetically derived surfactants so that we are all more aware about what we are using in our homes and on our bodies. This is a list of the most common synthetic surfactants that are used in organic and natural soaps. These surfactant and soap agents are generally derived from the fatty acids of coconut oil but this information can be very misleading, buyer beware!!

Cocamidopropyl betaine (CAPB) A synthetic surfactant (detergent) made with petrochemical amines and fatty acids and is a zwitterionic surfactant with a quaternary ammonium cation in its molecule. It is a viscous pale yellow transparent liquid and is used as a surfactant in bath products like shampoos and hand soaps. In cosmetics it is used as an emulsifying agent and thickener and it is also used to reduce irritation purely ionic surfactants would cause. CAPB also serves as an antistatic agent in hair conditioners. It is important to note that Cocamidopropyl betaine was voted 2004 Allergen of the Year by the American Contact Dermatitis Society (1).
Cocamidopropyl betaine is a derivate of cocamide and glycine betaine. Glycine betaine was discovered in sugar beets in the 19th century. Glycine betaine is a small N-trimethylated amino acid and is a by-product of the sugar industry. Cocamidopropyl betaine is a medium strength surfactant that has antiseptic properties and anti-static properties. It is compatible with other cationic, anionic, and nonionic surfactants.Cocamidopropyl betaine to a significant degree has replaced cocamide DEA. Cocamidopropyl betaine is the active ingredient in soaps that market themselves as Natural and Organic (1).

Cocamide DEA, or cocamide diethanolamine, is a diethanolamide made by reacting fatty acids in coconut oils with diethanolamine. Diethanolamine, often abbreviated as DEA, is an organic chemical compound which is both a secondary amine and a dialcohol. A dialcohol has two hydroxyl groups in its molecule. Like other amines, diethanolamine acts as a weak base. DEA and its chemical variants are common ingredients in cosmetics and shampoos, where they are used as to create a creamy texture and foaming action. Variants of DEA include lauramide diethanolamine, coco diethanolamide, cocoamide diethanolamine or coconut oil amide of diethanolamine, lauramide DEA, lauric diethanolamide, lauroyl diethanolamide, and lauryl diethanolamide. Cocamide DEA is a viscous liquid and is used as a foaming agent in bath products like shampoos and hand soaps, and in cosmetics as an emulsifying agent(2).

Cocamide MEA, or cocamide monoethanolamine, is a pale yellow viscous clear to amber liquid, or solid flakes. It can be made from fatty acids in coconut oils, reacted with ethanolamine. Ethanolamine, also called 2-aminoethanol or monoethanolamine (often abbreviated as ETA or MEA), is an organic chemical compound that is both a primary amine (due to an amino group in its molecule) and a primary alcohol (due to a hydroxyl group). Like other amines, monoethanolamine acts as a weak base. Ethanolamine is a toxic, flammable, corrosive, colorless, viscous liquid with an odor similar to that of ammonia. Ethanolamine is commonly called monoethanolamine or MEA in order to be distinguished from diethanolamine (DEA) and triethanolamine (TEA). Cocamide ethanolamines are used as foaming agents and cationic surfactants in shampoos and bath products, and as emulsifying agents in cosmetics(3).

Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) or sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS or NaDS), (C12H25SO4Na) is an anionic surfactant used in many cleaning and hygiene products. The molecule has a tail of 12 carbon atoms, attached to a sulfate group, giving the molecule the amphiphilic properties required of a detergent. Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) is synthesized by reacting lauryl alcohol with sulphuric acid to produce hydrogen lauryl sulfate which is then neutralized through the addition of sodium carbonate. Lauryl alcohol is usually derived from either coconut or palm kernel oil by esterification of their fatty acids followed by reduction of the acid group to an alcohol.
SLS is a highly effective surfactant used in any task requiring the removal of oily stains and residues. As such the compound is found in high concentrations in industrial products including engine degreasers, floor cleaners, and car wash soaps. In household products, SLS is used in lower concentrations with toothpastes, shampoos, shaving foams, some dissolvable aspirins, fiber therapy caplets. It is an important component in bubble bath formulations for its thickening effect and its ability to create a lather.

SLS has not been proven to be carcinogenic when either applied directly to skin or consumed. SLS however is a strong surfactant and a number of health concerns have been raised in published reports.
•SLS may worsen skin problems in individuals with chronic skin hypersensitivity, with some people being affected more than others.
•SLS in toothpaste may cause aphthous ulcers, commonly referred to in some countries as canker sores.
•SLS has also been show to irritate the skin of the face with prolonged and constant exposure (more than an hour) in young adults. In animal studies SLS appears to cause skin and eye irritation. (4).

1.http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cocamidopropyl_betaine&oldid=281794923.
2.http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cocamide_DEA&oldid=273616804
3.http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cocamide_MEA&oldid=275153324
4.http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sodium_lauryl_sulfate&oldid=284320963

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