Effect of Molecular Weight of Polymers on the Properties of Delicate Facial Foams

Body wash cosmetics are among the most popular and numerous groups of cosmetic products. In chemical terms, they are solutions of surface active agents with the addition of multiple substances such as preservatives, moisturizing agents, fragrances or viscosity modifiers, the aim of which is to improve specific product properties. The present study evaluated the effect of the molecular weight of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) on the properties of face washing products in the form of foam produced with foaming dispensers. A special focus was on key product quality characteristics including foaming properties and skin irritation potential. An addition of PVP to the formulation was found to contribute to an improvement in product foaming properties and a decrease in skin irritation potential. In addition, the studied properties of samples were shown to improve in proportion to the increasing molecular weight of the polymer.