Hello expert soap-makers!
I am new to soap making and I love researching the chemistry related facts about it (science teacher here).
I came across a home-made soap bar that listed SLS and other surfactants amongst the ingredients, but I know that soap is itself a surfactant.
I also know that sodium citrate acts as sequestrant when it's added to home-made laundry soap to prevent fats left in the bar from sticking to clothes, so my questions are:
Why add surfactants to hand-soap bars at all?
Is there a reason it's added to liquid soap or shampoos?
What's the difference between Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, sodium citrate and normal soap (besides the fact that SLS is usually made from palm oil )?
Thank you in advance for your wisdom!
Romiriam
I am new to soap making and I love researching the chemistry related facts about it (science teacher here).
I came across a home-made soap bar that listed SLS and other surfactants amongst the ingredients, but I know that soap is itself a surfactant.
I also know that sodium citrate acts as sequestrant when it's added to home-made laundry soap to prevent fats left in the bar from sticking to clothes, so my questions are:
Why add surfactants to hand-soap bars at all?
Is there a reason it's added to liquid soap or shampoos?
What's the difference between Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, sodium citrate and normal soap (besides the fact that SLS is usually made from palm oil )?
Thank you in advance for your wisdom!
Romiriam
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