Which term best describes a cleanser that foams due to surfactants?

• A. Gel cleansers
• B. Foaming cleansers
• C. Cream cleansers
• D. Oil cleansers

Answer: (B)

Foaming cleansers are formed to produce foam because they contain surfactants. Surfactants lower the surface tension between water and oil, trapping air and creating bubbles when you work the product with water. That foaming action is the hallmark of foaming cleansers, signaling that the formulation relies on surfactants to generate lather. Texture alone—like gel or cream—does not guarantee foam. Gel cleansers describe the gel-like feel and can be either foaming or non-foaming, while cream cleansers are typically thick and may produce little to no foam. Oil cleansers, being oil-based, generally don’t rely on foaming surfactants and are designed to dissolve makeup and oils rather than to undergo heavy foaming. So the best description for a cleanser that foams due to surfactants is foaming cleansers.