A surfactant is the primary ingredient in soaps or shampoos that provides the cleaning benefit. Sulfate-based surfactants (sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate, ammonium lauryl sulfate, ammonium laureth sulfate) are often used as part of shampoos. Sulfate-based surfactants are effective cleaners that have been used widely for decades by all major cosmetic companies. 

Consumers often have an intuitive affinity for "natural" ingredients because they feel that natural materials must be purer and safer. However, this is not always the case. Learn more about consumers' common fears »

Defining "natural"

Banning Water?

In 1998, Nathan Zohner, a freshman at Eagle Rock Junior High School in Idaho Falls, Idaho, decided to show how people had become conditioned to react to alarmist report. For his science project at the Greater Idaho Falls Chamber of Commerce, he urged people to sign a petition to control or ban the chemical "dihydrogen monoxide." He told those he petitioned that dihydrogen monoxide:

Parabens are a group of excellent preservatives that have been used since the mid-1920s in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and foods. These compounds are some of the most commonly used cosmetic preservatives in the world and they are officially permitted or approved for use as preservatives in cosmetics by the U.S. FDA, the European Commission, the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare and other key regulatory bodies around the world. The 2009 salmonella contamination of foods such as peanut butter and the 2006 recall regarding microbial contamination of certain contact lens solutions has reminded all of us of the need for effective preservation of foods and consumer products. 

Is it true? Debunking internet rumors and hoaxes

In today's social media landscape rumors spread quickly and can cycle around for a number of years. Because of the increase in non-credible information, there are a number of independent Web sites that have made it their mission to clarify which stories are true and which stories are false. Here are credible sites you can use to determine whether an issue is a rumor or a fact:

Steady, careful and measured progress is key to P&G Beauty & Grooming's success in developing environmentally-responsible and socio-economically sustainable prod­ucts and processes. P&G has long recognized that the journey to sustainability is an ongoing, constantly evolving effort. P&G has been committed to improving the sustainability of its products and processes since the 1970s. Through years of rigorous study, P&G has learned that in order to truly embrace sustainable practices, the company must employ a three-legged approach. Each of these three legs - environmental protection, economic development and social responsibility - play a key role in developing sustainable products and processes. Keeping all three areas in mind, P&G Beauty & Grooming employs scientific principles to make sustainability a part of every initiative.

P&G Beauty & Grooming continues research across a number of safety science disciplines, including genotoxicity, skin allergy, reproductive toxicology, environmental and aquatic toxicology, as well as the emerging field of genomics.  Much of this effort places a further emphasis on in vitro approaches that will reduce or replace more traditional safety testing methods. Our scientists have presented their research and findings at key scientific meetings in toxicology as well as before the National Academy of Sciences.