Biosurfactants are gaining ground as formulators seek milder, biodegradable alternatives for modern hair care. Advances in production and formulation are helping address key challenges such as foam performance, compatibility, stability, and cost.
COSSMA: Which technological, economic, or regulatory developments do you believe will be most critical for enabling biosurfactants to become a mainstream choice in mass-market hair care over the next five years?
Elise Buggenhout: Advances in continuous fermentation, downstream processing and production capacity will make biosurfactants more cost-competitive and scalable as is needed for widespread use in mass-market hair care. Scientists working in biosurfactants will have more time to innovate new molecules with the cleansing, foaming, mildness and formulation flexibility that brands need. At the same time, we hope that as the products become more established, clearer regulatory pathways and robust Life Cycle Assessments will ease the passage of biosurfactants into regular, commercial use.
What are the key advantages of biosurfactants compared to conventional surfactants in terms of cleansing performance, foam generation, mildness, and sustainability?
Biosurfactants deliver effective cleansing while offering a milder health and environmental profile than many fossil-based surfactants. Upcycled sophorolipids have shown effective cleansing in hand soap and makeup remover formulations with no visible redness in skin testing and strong compatibility with sensitive applications. The nature of the molecule can affect foaming behavior. Some biosurfactants generate less foam than SLES, but sophorolipids can match first-generation sophorolipids and maintain good lather when used in blends.
The clearest advantage of biosurfactants, especially second-generation biosurfactants which use bio-based waste as a feedstock, is that they are biodegradable and produced from waste and side streams through mild fermentation, avoiding energy-intensive chemical processing, fossil feedstocks, or virgin crops like palm oil, which are associated with deforestation and heavy resource use. This results in superior LCA results and a lower carbon footprint.
Beyond cleansing, what additional consumer benefits can biosurfactants provide, for example in scalp care, sensory experience, hair feel, or combability?
Certain biosurfactants can offer strong skin compatibility and mildness, depending on their molecular structure and formulation.
Upcycled biosurfactants have shown good skin compatibility, including no visible redness in patch testing and non-eye irritant performance. Testing also indicated anti-dandruff properties, which are important for gentler scalp and sensitive skin formulations.
What formulation strategies have proven most effective for incorporating biosurfactants into sulfate-free or mild hair cleansing products while maintaining strong consumer performance?
So far, most of our product concepts have incorporated our biosurfactants as a part of a blended surfactant system rather than as a complete one-for-one replacement. Upcycled sophorolipids have been combined with mild bio-based surfactants such as lauryl glucoside and sodium cocoyl glutamate to create sulfate-free formulations with effective cleansing, good foam, and improved mildness. Partial replacement can also preserve lather: replacing around 30% of SLES or APG with upcycled sophorolipids maintained comparable maximum foam height in testing. Careful pH control, thickener selection, and optimization of the overall surfactant ratio are therefore key to balancing foam, cleansing, and skin compatibility.
What are the main compatibility considerations when combining biosurfactants with conditioning agents, cationic polymers, proteins, silicones, and natural oils?
The main compatibility considerations depend on the characteristics of the biosurfactant, particularly when combining anionic biosurfactants with cationic conditioning agents or cationic polymers. These interactions can influence formulation stability, viscosity and the deposition of conditioning ingredients onto the hair fibre. Biosurfactants may also affect the deposition and performance of proteins, silicones, and natural oils, either enhancing or reducing their retention depending on the pH and ingredient ratios. Careful optimization is therefore recommended to achieve the desired balance between cleansing and conditioning performance.
How do biosurfactants perform across the pH range typically used in shampoos, conditioners, and scalp care products, and are there any formulation limitations to consider?
Biosurfactants generally perform well across the pH range commonly used in shampoos, conditioners and scalp care products. In shampoo formulations, they contribute to key functions such as cleansing, foaming and emulsification while providing a mild profile.
For acidic biosurfactants, formulation pH is an important consideration, as it can affect viscosity, foaming behavior and compatibility with cationic conditioning ingredients. Formulators should therefore evaluate performance across the intended pH range to ensure optimal stability and efficacy.
What are the most common challenges formulators encounter when replacing or reducing conventional surfactants with
biosurfactants, and how can these challenges be overcome?
The most common challenges are: less foaminess than conventional surfactants (especially for applications where consumers expect a foaming formulation, such as shampoo), differences in viscosity and sensory profile, limited drop-in compatibility, higher cost at lower production volumes.
These can be addressed by using biosurfactants in optimized blends, partially replacing conventional surfactants rather than removing them entirely, and adjusting pH, thickener systems, and surfactant ratios. The data of our company shows that partial replacement can maintain foam performance, while combining upcycled sophorolipids with bio-based surfactants can deliver effective cleansing and improved mildness. Further advances in scale-up, continuous production, and molecule design will also be important for improving cost and performance.
How do biosurfactants influence
formulation aesthetics and product
stability, including viscosity, clarity,
pearlescence, and long-term performance?
Biosurfactants can affect viscosity, clarity, and pearlescence differently from conventional surfactants, so formulations often require adjustments to surfactant ratios, thickeners, pH, and salt levels.
Our products are supplied as light amber liquids and can produce transparent formulations within defined pH ranges.
Additionally, our biosurfactants act as effective co-emulsifiers, enhancing overall formulation stability.
Which current hair care trends – such as microbiome-friendly products, clean beauty, water reduction, or minimalist
formulations – are creating the greatest opportunities for biosurfactants?
The strongest opportunities are in clean beauty, mild and sensitive scalp products, and minimalist formulations. Formulators in all of these areas have the most pressing need to find ingredients that are sulfate-free, biodegradable and upcycled while delivering effective cleansing and good skin compatibility.
What sustainability claims can brands credibly communicate when using
biosurfactants, and what types of supporting data or certifications are typically required to
substantiate these claims?
Brands can credibly communicate that second-generation biosurfactants like AmphiStar’s are bio-based, fully upcycled, biodegradable, palm-free, sulfate-free, and produced from waste and side streams through mild fermentation. This means brands should seek certifications such as the COSMOS (Cosmetic Organic and Natural Standard) certification.
Elise Buggenhout
Senior Formulation and Application Manager, AmphiStar, Ghent, Belgium, www.amphistar.com