Home Cosmetic Science Talk Formulating Hair Shampoo manufacture

  • Hair Shampoo manufacture

    Posted by teejay on September 10, 2017 at 10:49 am
    Hi everyone
    I tried making hair shampoos for commercial purposes a few months ago and I used a formulation from a manufacturing guide(a book) I bought. My product wasn’t smooth and it was separating. I tried it twice again with half the previous measurements but it still came out same way. This is the formulation I used:
    Antisol: 1kg
    Soda ash: 1.25kg
    EDTA: 0.05kg
    Citric acid: 0.2kg
    Sulphonic acid: 0.75kg
    Sodium Benzoate: 0.1kg
    SLS: 1.75kg
    Glycerine: 0.1kg
    The method I used for production as stated in the book was to soak the Antisol in water for 48hrs. Soak the soda ash and SLS for 24hrs. Add sulphonic acid to the soda ash. Add the mix to the Antisol. Add EDTA and SLS. Then add citric acid, Glycerine, Sodium Benzoate, Fragrance and colour in that order.
    Is something wrong with my formulation or the method of production I’m currently using? I have little knowledge in cosmetic and formulation. I need your advice. Thank you.
    das replied 6 years, 6 months ago 12 Members · 40 Replies
  • 40 Replies
  • drbobverdient-biz

    Member
    September 10, 2017 at 2:30 pm

    Replace the antisol with HEC and add to water,edta and glycerine; heat to 60-70C.Use pre-neutralized sup[honic acid (sodium salt) and add to HEC solution followed by SLS;mix until clear cool and add sodium benzoate citric acid.If you can replace replace sodium alkyl sulphonate with SLES (3). 

  • teejay

    Member
    September 10, 2017 at 3:30 pm

    @DRBOB@VERDIENT.BIZ thank you. I’ll try it out. 

  • belassi

    Member
    September 10, 2017 at 5:29 pm

    This seems like a primitive formulation. “Soda ash”? And why would you use as a major ingredient a type of cellulose that is sold for use in industrial cutting processes as a foam reducer? I suggest you make a more modern product unless you’re living in a stone-age location.

  • oldperry

    Member
    September 11, 2017 at 8:01 pm

    That’s a strange formula indeed.

    This is a body wash but it would work as a shampoo too. 
    https://chemistscorner.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/body_wash_formula4.jpg

  • das

    Member
    September 11, 2017 at 10:59 pm

    It looks like a laundry formula, I would’t wash my hair with that.

    http://www.kaochemicals-eu.com/formulation/conditioning-shampoo-3

    In that page you can find a couple more formulas for shampoo and other purposes. Its a well known and respected manufacturer and the formulas are tested. 

  • belassi

    Member
    September 12, 2017 at 12:25 am

    Yes DAS I think you’re right - because of the antifoaming nature of the thickener. With all that acid surely the pH is going to be pretty high. No way is this a product for human use.

  • Lainee

    Member
    September 12, 2017 at 1:49 am

    That is why I check first the publishing date of the book. Nowadays, people publish their formulas online. Try searching a guide formula for your hair shampoo. Also, try adding an active ingredient (like anti-dandruff, for smooth hair etc)

  • ozgirl

    Member
    September 12, 2017 at 4:02 am

    This formula does seem to be an industrial grade formula for a detergent. When I searched Antisol it appeared to be an industrial grade CMC. I am assuming that when you are referring to sulphonic acid you are actually referring to something like Dodecylbenzene sulphonic acid. This is largely used in detergents rather than in personal care.  Also it is best to present your formula in percentages.

    Try checking the UL Prospector website for starting formulas. You should find several hundred formulas just for shampoos.

    You can also buy shampoo base blends from some suppliers that you just need to add water, preservative and fragrance to to make a complete product.

  • teejay

    Member
    September 13, 2017 at 3:31 pm

    @Belassi I found out most shampoo manufacturers here use Antisol, Nitrosol and HEC. That’s what’s known/available around here and the Citric acid is used to lower the PH.

  • teejay

    Member
    September 13, 2017 at 3:32 pm

    @Perry @DAS Thanks for the link. I did a little research online, the chemicals sellers here are not familiar with some of the chemicals I read up. It doesn’t help.

  • teejay

    Member
    September 13, 2017 at 3:51 pm

    @Lainee I did search for Zinc Pyrithione to buy. Not familiar around here.
    @ozgirl that’s the same sulphonic acid. 
    This is one of the formulations I saw online, but so far I could only get SLS and Citric acid. Still searching.

  • belassi

    Member
    September 13, 2017 at 4:10 pm

    Don’t use those preservatives, they are horrible. Bad for you.

  • Anonymous

    Guest
    September 13, 2017 at 4:36 pm

    Hello everyone If shampoos are designed to remove oils and dirt from the hair…what real effect of moisturizing or softening does .0001 % of Argan Oil have.
    Apart from a marketing gimmick does it maks a difference? 

  • belassi

    Member
    September 13, 2017 at 7:29 pm

    Marketing nonsense.

  • das

    Member
    September 13, 2017 at 8:49 pm

    Well, one way to know what’s sold in your area is the supermarket. Read the labels of all the shampoos, and take pictures for future references. In my case for example the main ingredients are SLS, CAPB, Cocoamide MEA in some cases and sadly Sodium chloride. Oh, and for Belassi’s indignation thiazolinones as preservative. I still can’t believe worldwide companies use salt… 

    Anyway, do some research of your findings and read as much as you can to understand all the components. Then you will have better arguments when you talk to your suppliers, and it will be much easier to find new ones.

  • oldperry

    Member
    September 13, 2017 at 9:27 pm

    Argan oil in shampoo does two things…it reduces the cleansing ability of the product and reduces the foam.

    Neither of these are good from a performance standpoint.  It is good for marketing though. 

  • em88

    Member
    September 14, 2017 at 6:38 am

    Doesn’t Zinc Pyrithione have special requirement in industrial use due to its toxicity? I have it at 48% and still risky when I red the safety data sheet.

  • em88

    Member
    September 14, 2017 at 6:40 am

    @DAS, whats wrong with NaCl?

  • teejay

    Member
    September 14, 2017 at 8:32 am

    Wow. Clearly I have a lot to learn.

  • teejay

    Member
    September 14, 2017 at 8:36 am

    @em88 Head and shoulders uses zinc Pyrithione at 1%

  • em88

    Member
    September 14, 2017 at 10:43 am

    There are many companies which may manufacture drugs with higher toxicity APIs, it doesn’t mean that anyone can do w/o taking some measurements.
    As I asked in my previews post, I’m not sure if there are requirements to fulfill for manufacturing products which contains ZPT.

  • sven

    Member
    September 15, 2017 at 8:10 am

    if you swop out the poly 10 for poly 7 then you can get away with not heating the formula 

  • das

    Member
    September 18, 2017 at 3:24 am

    @em88 what’s the cosmetic benefit of salt?. None, it’s just a cheap thickener. You use it, I use it and many use it for that reason.

    So when I see most of the big players do the same it really bothers me, because they have the resources and dozens of alternatives, and in the end the consumer is paying to watch cristiano ronaldo kick a bottle on TV instead of a better shampoo.

  • oldperry

    Member
    September 18, 2017 at 3:50 pm

    Yes, you can use Polyquat 7 if you don’t want to heat the batch. Although, I always think some heating is a good idea to make things mix together better.

  • Dilfre

    Member
    September 18, 2017 at 6:11 pm

    Thanks for a so interesting chat guys. What material could replace salt as a thickener? the cheaper the better, and the healthier the better.

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