Surfactants are chemicals that make it easier for water and oil to mix. Those created artificially are called synthetic surfactants. Since milky lotions and creams are made by mixing water and oil, many cosmetics product use synthetic surfactants. An important characteristic of synthetic surfactants is their strong skin permeating abilities. However, the problem is that these chemicals are not very good for the skin.
“The more synthetic surfactants a product contains, the easier it is for customers to use and the better it feels on the skin. It ‘seems’ like a good product, but actually, the synthetic surfactants inside are damaging the skin, causing spots, freckles, and wrinkles,” says Fujio Sugai, the director of Shiba Dermatology Clinic.
Why do synthetic surfactant-containing products cause spots, freckles, and wrinkles?
One of the most important parts of the skin is the intercellular lipids between your skin cells. If skin cells were tiles, this intercellular lipid would be the glue gluing the tiles down.
The problem with synthetic surfactants is that it removes skin cells and dissolves this “glue”. What happens to tiles when the glue is gone? It comes off. Just like this, the skin’s barrier abilities are destroyed.
This is the answer to why synthetic surfactant-containing cosmetics seem to permeate the skin better. It’s destroying the skin’s barrier on the way.
Why does this cause spots, freckles, and wrinkles? When the skin's barriers are damaged, this causes toxins and bacteria to enter the skin easily, leading to acne and other skin problems.
Toxins, bacteria, and synthetic surfactants that reach the depths of your skin stimulate your melanin cells, thus creating spots and freckles. The production of melanin is the second stage of your skin’s barrier. Melanin cells produce melanin when it detects harmful matters entering the skin. This is how the body tried to prevent these substances from entering the deeper layers of your skin.
Because synthetic surfactants destroy the skin’s natural barrier, using products containing these chemicals not only allow harmful substances enter the body, but it also prevents the skin from staying moisturized. This causes a state of continual dryness, which in turn, causes wrinkles.
