An overwhelming, positive trend toward healthier lifestyles is sweeping today’s consumer marketplace. More and more consumers demand all-natural ingredients to complement their concerns for personal health and wellness.

Natural ingredients were first investigated for their possible pharmaceutical uses; following scientific validation of various natural ingredients, the focus then moved to personal care and will strongly affect also the HI&I market in the future. In recent years, natural products have grown from a niche segment to one of the fastest-growing categories in personal care.

Amino acid based surfactants as ingredient in formulations for personal care, household and industrial & institutional end uses are a good answer to meet the aspects of physiological and ecological compatibility. Several amino-acid derived surfactants have been commercially available for many years. N-acyl sarcosinates, were the first amino acid surfactants applied in significant concentration in personal care products in the early 50ies. The naturally occurring amino acid sarcosine is found in muscles and other body tissues or as an intermediate in the metabolism of choline to glycine.

The amino acid is condensed with fatty acids to observe amphiphilic character. The group of N-acyl glutamates is based on the amino acid glutamate known as flavor enhancer in food. Nowadays many applications are related to their substantivity on skin and hair, their foam forming power and their mildness to skin and eyes.

Author: Martin Husmann