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Soap scum formation in absence of soap or surfactant
Sebum in scalp and hair has free fatty acids. Hard water has calcium. So if we wash our hair with hard water without any surfactant or soap in it, will Soap scum or Calcium-bridged fatty acid form and deposit on our hair?
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3 Replies
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Keep in mind that sebum is a semi-solid, and caiclium ions are water soluble (at least partially). You need them both to be in the same phase for a reaction to occur.
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Then how sodium reacts with fatty acids?
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The ones we use in water-based cosmetics for instance, have shorter chain lenght and have better solubility (like in soaps), which helps with the process.
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