This article was taken from the September 2013 issue of Wired magazine. Be the first to read Wired's articles in print before they're posted online, and get your hands on loads of additional content by subscribing online.
The citric acid in this shampoo is also used in stop baths when developing photographs.
Every month Wired's chemist Dr Ling Ge deconstructs an everyday product. She works at Imperial College London and is the author of many high-impact research papers, popular science articles and editor of two books.
Ingredients
Aqua/water
Hydroxyethyle cellulose
Benzyl salicylate
Myristyl alcohol
Benzyl alcohol
Chlorhexidine digluconate
Linalool
Cetyl esters
Citric acid
Citronellol
Tocopherol
Glycerin
Aqua/Water and benzyl alcohol
These act to dissolve the ingredients. Benzyl alcohol is also used as a solvent for the reconfiguration of nano devices.
Hydroxyethyle cellulose
This makes the shampoo thick and gel-like. It is used in cosmetics and cleaning agents, and for pill capsules.
Benzyl salicylate
This helps the fragrance molecules blend in with the other ingredients.
Myristyl alcohol
It makes skin softer because it stops water evaporating from the epidermis.
Chlorhexidine digluconate
An antiseptic, it is used in contact-lens solutions and mouthwash.
Linalool
A pleasant floral scent that is also used in mosquito-repellent products. Alpha-isomethyl ionone is associated with a "clean" smell.
Cetyl esters
A thickening agent that gives a silky feeling, they are composed of esters of saturated fatty alcohols and saturated fatty acids.
Citric acid
This is used as a preservative and a pH-value-adjusting agent. It also serves in stop baths when developing photographs.
Citronellol
This is found in rose oil and it smells of roses. It is derived from geraniol, the scent of which repels mosquitoes, but attracts bees.
Tocopherol
A form of vitamin E, this is an antioxidant that stops other compounds oxidising. It is often found in cosmetics that claim anti-aging properties.
Glycerin
Glycerin is used in cough syrups, sensitive-skin soaps, and suppositories. It has a sweet taste, and can also be used as antifreeze for cars.
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
