Sheer Silk Ceramide Cleanser

Skin cleansing is an integral part of a healthy care routine, particularly if you wear makeup or waterproof sunscreen. These products can lead to the growth of bacteria, yeast, viruses, and face mites that can have a detrimental effect not just on the skin, but on general health. This is in addition to sebum, sweat, dead skin cells that can accumulate on the skin surface and attract dirt (Ayres 1963, Martin et al. 2010).

Even though cleansers can effectively take care of these problems, they also exert their own detrimental effects on the skin. They can harm the skin barrier and strip it of important lipids (Coiffard and Couteau 2020, Gfatter et al. 1997).

The solution is to combine the gentlest cleansing experience with milder detergents along with moisturizing elements. This is because these moisturizing elements can function as “sacrifical lipids” within surfactant micelles so that they (and not skin lipids) get depleted. Further, even in wash conditions, these lipids can deposit onto the skin. Hence, high levels of these moisturizing ingredients can improve mildness as well as provide moisturization (Ananthapadmanabhan et al. 2004).

Sheer Silk takes this skin saving approach to the max in this cleanser, skimping on none of the humectants, emollients and occlusives generally found in high quality moisturizers. This includes ceramides, cholesterol, and phytosphingosine, along with hyaluronic acid and glycerin. While Sheer Silk is a mild but effective cleanser that can be employed by anyone with any skin type, those with very dry and very sensitive skin will see particular benefits.

While soaps with their high pH are the worst culprits and should be avoided altogether in skin cleansing, syndets vary widely in their level of disruptiveness to the skin barrier. Syndets such as sulfates sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) also known as sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and sodium lauryl ether sulfate (SLES), are known to be irritating and harsh on the skin with the added downside of being harmful to the environment.

Modern high-quality cleansers rely instead on milder detergents that are better for the environment, as well as detergent blends that combine anionic and amphoteric surfactants which cleanse with minimal interaction with the skin barrier (Ananthapadmanabhan et al. 2004, Ananthapadmanabhan 2019, Coiffard and Couteau 2020, Mijaljica et al. 2022).

Sheer Silk Cleanser employs this modern approach to skin cleansing using a blend of three mild and environmentally friendly, coconut oil derived syndets: Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate.

Ananthapadmanabhan KP, Moore DJ, Subramanyan K, Manoj M, Meyer F (2004). “Cleansing without compromise: the impact of cleansers on the skin barrier and the technology of mild cleansing.” Dermatologic Therapy 17: 16-25.

Ayres S (1963). “Rosacea-Like Demodicidosis.” California Medicine 98(6): 328-330.

Coiffard L, Couteau C (2020). “Soap and syndets: differences and analogies, sources of great confusion.” Eu Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 24: 11432-11439.

Gfatter R, Hackl P, Braun F (1997). “Effects of Soap and Detergents on Skin Surface pH, Stratum corneum Hydration and Fat Content in Infants.” Dermatology 195: 258-262.

Martin LMM, Mendes MF, Takaoka LE, Martin MM, Martin BM (2010). Dermatosis Neglecta: a report of two cases. An Bras Dermatol 85 (2): 217-220.

Ananthapadmanabhan KP, Moore DJ, Subramanyan K, Manoj M, Meyer F (2004). “Cleansing without compromise: the impact of cleansers on the skin barrier and the technology of mild cleansing.” Dermatologic Therapy 17: 16-25.

Ananthapadmanabhan KP (2019). “Amino-Acid Surfactants in Personal Cleansing (Review).” Tenside Surf Det 56(5): 378-386.

Coiffard L, Couteau C (2020). “Soap and syndets: differences and analogies, sources of great confusion.” Eu Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 24: 11432-11439.

Mijaljica D, Spada F, Harrison IP (2022). “Skin Cleansing without or with Compromise: Soaps and Syndets.” Molecules 27: https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27062010.