A cleansing-preparation contains a cleansing or skin-softening agent and a compound of the formula R.X.R<1>.G, where R is an aliphatic hydrocarbon residue containing at least eight carbon atoms, R<1> is any aliphatic, hydroaromatic, or aromatic hydrocarbon residue, G is a group rendering the compound water-soluble, and X is a carboxylic ester group (--COO--), sulphur (--S--), or nitrogen (--NH--), forming a direct link between R and R<1>.  G may be a sulphonic or carboxylic acid group, or an ester group from a hydroxyl group and polybasic acids, which also contains at least one strongly acid group, such as sulphuric, phosphoric, or thiosulphuric acid esters. Preferably the salts of these groups such as alkali salts, ammonium salts or their organic derivatives are employed. Suitable compounds are neutralized sulphonation products of di- or polyglycols partially esterified with higher fatty acids, or of glycollic acid fatty alcohol esters, alkali salts of sulphoacetic decyl, dodecyl, and tetradecyl esters, or esters of higher fatty acids containing water-solubilizing groups in the alcohol residue.  Examples refer to the use of the sodium salts of sulpho-acetic dodecyl, decyl, tetradecyl, or hexadecyl esters, or mixtures thereof, the sodium salt of dodecylmercaptoacetic acid (C12H25.S.CH2.COONa), the purified reaction product of chloracetic acid dodecyl ester and sodium thiosulphate, and the sulphonation product of a mixture of glycollic acid-coconut fatty alcohol esters. This sulphonation product is prepared by esterifying glycollic acid with a mixture of the higher alcohols obtained technically by high pressure reduction of coconut oil, by heating to a high temperature with separation of the water formed, sulphonating with chlorsulphonic acid at low temperature, and neutralizing with caustic soda. Reference has been directed by the Comptroller to Specifications 316,132, [Class 15 (ii)], and 359,893.ALSO:A cleansing or shaving preparation contains a cleansing or skin-softening agent and a compound of the formula R.X.R<1>.G, where R is an aliphatic hydrocarbon residue containing at least eight carbon atoms, R<1> is any aliphatic, hydroaromatic, or aromatic hydrocarbon residue, G is a group rendering the compound water-soluble, and X is a carboxylic ester group (--COO--), sulphur (--S--), or nitrogen (--NH--), forming a direct link between R and R<1>.  G may be a sulphonic or carboxylic acid group or an ester group from a hydroxyl group and polybasic acids, which also contains at least one strongly acid group, such as sulphuric, phosphoric, or thiosulphuric acid esters.  Preferably, the salts of these groups such as alkali salts, ammonium salts or their organic derivatives are employed.  Suitable compounds are neutralized sulphonation products of di- or polyglycols partially esterified with higher fatty acids, or of glycollic acid fatty alcohol esters, alkali salts of sulphoacetic decyl, dodecyl and tetradecyl esters, or esters of higher fatty acids containing water-solubilizing groups in the alcohol residue.  According to examples: A shaving preparation comprises the sodium salt of dodecylmercaptoacetic acid (C12H25.S.CH2.COONa) dissolved in hot aqueous glycerol, the melted condensation product of cetyl alcohol and 6 molecules of glycide then being added.  The purified reaction product of chloracetic acid dodecyl ester and sodium thiosulphate is mixed with sodium metaphosphate.  0,5--1 per cent solutions of the mixture are used as head and hair washes.  Reference has been directed by the Comptroller to Specifications 316,132, [Class 91], and 359,893.ALSO:Toilet preparations, including medicinal bath preparations and pine needle extract, contain a cleansing or skin-softening agent and a compound of the formula R.X.R1.G, where R is an aliphatic hydrocarbon residue containing at least eight carbon atoms, R1 is any aliphatic, hydroaromatic, or aromatic hydrocarbon residue, G is a group rendering the compound water-soluble, and X is a carboxylic ester group (-COO-), sulphur (-S-), or nitrogen (-NH-), forming a direct link between R and R1.  G may be a sulphonic or carboxylic acid p group, or an ester group from a hydroxyl group and polybasic acids, which also contains at least one strongly acid group, such as sulphuric, phosphoric, or thio-sulphuric acid esters. Preferably the salts of these groups such as alkali salts, ammonium salts or their organic derivatives are employed. Suitable compounds are neutralized sulphonation products of di- or polyglycols partially esterified with higher fatty acids, or of glycollic acid fatty alcohol esters, alkali salts of sulphoacetic decyl, dodecyl, and tetradecyl esters, or esters of higher fatty acids containing water-solubilizing groups in the alcohol residue.  Reference has been directed by the Comptroller to Specifications 316,132, [Class 81 (i)], and 359,893