Sequenced oligomer surfactant has the formula: P--O--C.sub.2 H.sub.3 (CH.sub.2 B)O--.sub.n' --C.sub.2 H.sub.3 (CH.sub.2 A)O--.sub.m --C.sub.2 H.sub.3 (CH.sub.2 B)O--.sub.n Q wherein one of P and Q represents hydrogen and the other represents alkyl having 1-20 carbon atoms; A represents R--CH.sub.2 -- or R'--O-- wherein R is alkyl having 4-16 carbon atoms and R' is alkyl having 4-20 carbon atoms; B is selected from OH, R.sub.1 R.sub.2 N, R.sub.1 R.sub.2 N.fwdarw.O, R.sub.1 R.sub.2 N--O.sup..sym. HV.sup..crclbar., R.sub.1 R.sub.2 N.sup..sym. HV.sup..crclbar., R.sub.1 R.sub.2 R.sub.3 N.sup..sym. Z.sup..crclbar. and R.sub.4 S.fwdarw.(O)a, wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 represent alkyl or hydroxyalkyl, R.sub.3 is methyl or ethyl, R.sub.4 is alkyl, hydroxyalkyl or dihydroxyalkyl, Z.sup..crclbar. is an anion selected from HSO.sub.3.sup..crclbar., CH.sub.3 SO.sub.3.sup..crclbar., CH.sub.3 SO.sub.4.sup..crclbar. and CH.sub.3 --C.sub.6 H.sub.4 --SO.sub.3.sup..crclbar., R.sub.1 R.sub.2 N.sup..sym. HV.sup..crclbar. and R.sub.1 R.sub.2 N--O.sup..sym. HV.sup..crclbar. represent a salt of an amine or amine oxide, a is 0 or 1; m is a number from 2-10; and n and n' are numbers from 2-25, with one of n and n' capable of being 0. The oligomer surfactants are employed in cosmetic and pharmaceutical compositions.