2. Polymer-surfactant interactions

Many factors influence the behavior of a polymer in a formulation. These factors include

• the nature of the solvent ;

• the presence of other ingredients such as surfactants;

• temperature ;

• pH.

Polymers and surfactants are often used in cosmetic formulations to achieve complementary effects. Polymers are mainly used to control the rheology of solutions; surfactants, on the other hand, are used for their wettability, solubilization, emulsifying and detergency properties. When present at the same time, polymers and surfactants can have a synergistic effect, leading to significant changes in system properties that are sometimes undesirable, but often beneficial. Knowledge of the interaction characteristics of polymers...