Advances in Gentle Polymeric Cleansing Technologies

Modern skin cleansers have evolved from basic soaps to advanced cleansing formulations that also provide moisturization and skin barrier support. Surfactants work by emulsifying oils and reducing surface tension, but they may disrupt essential lipids in the skin, leading to barrier damage and sensitivity. Advances in surfactant technology have enabled the development of cleansers that combine efficacy with improved tolerability, foaming aesthetics, and reduced environmental impact. This review summarizes the evolution of modern mild skin cleansing technologies with a focus on polymeric cleansing technologies (PCTs) and the preclinical and clinical evidence of their efficacy and tolerability in sensitive skin. In vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated that hydrophobically modified polymers (HMPs) and sodium hydrolyzed potato starch dodecenylsuccinate (SHPSD; NATRASURF™ PS-111) reduce irritation potential and surfactant penetration into the skin relative to commercial mild cleansers, while providing effective cleansing performance with favorable tolerability. In a 4-week clinical study involving participants with sensitive skin, a combination of the PCTs HMP and SHPSD demonstrated good tolerability and improved aesthetic skin parameters without compromising cleansing efficacy. Properly formulated cleansers incorporating PCTs can provide superior tolerance, improved skin and aesthetic outcomes, and effective cleansing. The complementary properties of HMP and SHPSD enable flexible formulation strategies that optimize cleansing results in healthy and sensitive skin.