Sulfate-Free Solid Cleanser Foam Generation via Surfactant Merging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Solid cleansing products typically fail to provide rapid foaming and desired foam stability, often turning into a paste when exposed to water, and lack moisturizing and skin conditioning benefits, making them unsuitable for effective skin use.
Innovation Solution
A solid cleansing product formulation that is substantially free of sulfates, comprising multiple surfactants, skin conditioning agents, and buffering agents, designed to generate a desirable volume of foam quickly and maintain stability, while being in the form of a pressed tablet or loose powder for easy use on the skin.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a solid cleansing product is formulated to be sulfate-free and gentle on skin, then skin compatibility and moisturizing benefits are improved, but foam generation speed and foam volume are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple surfactant types (amphoteric and nonionic) in a synergistic formulation that generates foam rapidly despite the absence of sulfates. The specific combination of surfactants creates a cooperative effect where each component enhances the foaming capability of the others, achieving both speed and gentleness simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a composite surfactant system comprising multiple chemical compounds with different properties. This composite approach allows the formulation to leverage the rapid foaming of certain surfactants while the others provide skin conditioning and moisturizing benefits, creating a balanced product that meets both performance and safety requirements.
2Speed
If a solid cleanser is designed to dissolve quickly in water, then dissolution speed is improved, but foam stability and volume are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The solid cleanser is pre-formulated with foam-stabilizing agents and optimized surfactant ratios that are already in place before water contact. This preliminary arrangement ensures that when water is added, the components are positioned to immediately form stable foam structures, preventing the common issue where rapid dissolution leads to foam collapse.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes specific formulation parameters including surfactant concentration levels, particle size distribution, and moisture content to achieve the desired balance. By carefully controlling these parameters, the product dissolves rapidly while maintaining foam stability, as the optimized parameters ensure efficient foam formation and persistence.
3Ease of operation
If a solid cleansing product is made from powdered materials, then ease of application and packaging are improved, but foam volume and cleansing effectiveness are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The product is formulated as fine powdered materials that can be easily dispensed and applied, with the powder form providing convenience while the segmented particle structure increases surface area for effective foam generation. The segmentation at the particle level allows rapid dispersion in water while maintaining high foam volume through the increased total surface area of the powder particles.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The product achieves rapid foaming and stable foam generation within 2-5 seconds, providing effective cleansing without harshness or irritation, while also offering moisturizing benefits, as demonstrated by the SITA Foam Test and aesthetic evaluations.
Implementation Method 1
The solid cleansing products include a surfactant system that provides rapid foaming and stable foam. The surfactant system comprises an amphoteric surfactant and a nonionic surfactant, which work together to reduce surface tension and enable foam formation.
Implementation Method 2
The solid cleansing products include buffering agents that help maintain a skin-friendly pH level. The buffering agents work to neutralize acids and bases, creating a balanced pH environment suitable for skin.
Data Source
AI summary
A solid cleansing product including at least a first surfactant and a second surfactant present in a combined surfactant weight amount, both of the first and second surfactants being free of sulfate-containing materials; at least a first buffering agent and a second buffering agent a present in a combined buffering agent weight amount; where the combined buffering agent weight amount is at least double the combined surfactant weight amount.