The cosmetics industry is trying to navigate towards developing more eco-sustainable products and substituting some traditional ingredients derived from petrochemicals for ingredients that are more eco-and health friendly. 

With regards to shampoo, chitosan's ability for interacting electrostatically with negatively charged substrates (e.g. skin or damaged hair) results in the formation of polymeric films which contribute to the conditioning and moisturizing of cosmetic substrates, which make it ideal for the design of hair care formulations.