surfactants and viscosity
ninjahamlet
Member
in Formulating
I really want to make shampoo that actually works and is ph balanced but I'm having issues with understanding surfactants and viscosity. I started off trying to use emulsifying wax nf because I had no idea about the differences in properties (anionic and cationic for example). Then I tried boiling soap nuts because I read that they foam with water and are natural surfactants but that didn't work either. Now I have coco betaine and can't figure out why it's not working.
If oil gathers on top does that mean I need more water or no?
How do I thicken it?
How do I know if I added too much water, surfactant or oil?
How do I know what I need more of to fix the problem?
Not a chemist but I'm trying my best to research and not waste too much. I have never taken a chemistry class before but I think I have a very basic understanding of some parts of it. I've been trying to stick to organic/natural or at least somewhat natural ingredients but at this point I'm frustrated and frankly I don't care as long it works and won't catch my arm on fire or make my leg fall off if I use it.
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1. Shampoo shouldn't really have any oils, they should be basically water+preservative+surfactants because the goal is to cleanse and remove oils.
2. What do you mean by 'actually works'? There are plenty of shampoos that I can promise you will clean your hair, but you sound like you have a specific goal in mind.
3. Since you are just starting out, you should really take a look throughout Perry's site, he's got great information on starter formulas. Personally I think starting by trying to replicate an established formula will be a better stepping stone than trying to come up with a formula on your own.
https://chemistscorner.com/articles/
https://chemistscorner.com/where-to-find-free-cosmetic-formulas/
4. When you do start working on more formulas, you're gonna have to post ingredients and at least some range of percents(w/w % is typical) or it will be hard for people to help you. All the questions you asked will depend on what you already have added and how much. Reading + thoughtful experimentation will help you grow much faster and you'll be able to ask 'better' questions
I don't understand how are you able to evaluate yourself?
Just buy a product from the market and move on. Don't waste your time in formulation. It is not something you can learn within a few days.
Then go read this.
For shampoos, read this.
https://chemistscorner.com/how-shampoos-are-made/
Next, forget about "natural" or making something using things in your pantry or out in your yard. Cosmetics are not natural.
Attempts to create cosmetics from natural things is advanced science & not something you can pick up by watching Youtube videos or reading blogs written by hobbiests. Most natural products perform terribly even when created by the most competent formulators in the world.
Follow the advice given by @EVchem above. Find a starting formula, make that first, then you can start experimenting from there.
This is a detailed guidance on how to formulate shampoo without a degree in chemistry.
1) Analise LOIs of minimum 15 commercial products (the more is better)
2) Find ingredients that are showing in most of them - write notes
3) Research every single of them and understand what they do -write notes
4) Go to https://www.personalcaremagazine.com/formulations, find all shampoo formulas that they have. Analize formulas - make notes.
5) Go to ulprospector, or a supplier that you use and understand the recommended use of every single ingredient.
6) Compare 5) with your notes.
7) Read as many articles about what is pH as you can find. Don't stop until you find an article that explains that pH scale is logarithmic. Understand what it means.
8) Get yourself a pH meter. Not strips.
9) Google an article about zein test.
10) Figure out what size of micells have to do with how gentle surfactant is. Make notes.
11) Read about Anionic, Cationic, Non-Ionic and Amphoteric surfactants. Don't stop researching until you know when Amphoteric surfactant becomes cationic.
12) Analise all your notes and write a formula with percentages, total of which is equal 100%.
13) Post this formula here and ask for an advice.
14) Analise responses. Make notes.
15) Update your formula.
16) Get youself a pack of disposable plastic gloves.
After these steps you will have what is called a basic understanding. Go and make your product. You will probably mess it up (because this is how it works). Come back with a description of a problem and a formula. And we will help.
So, if you have a formula with 10% detergent. When you use it, all 10% of the detergent goes to cleaning your hair. If you put oil in the formula, some of the 10% detergent now goes to emulsifying the oil in the formula and rinses down the drain.
As far as effects, personal experiences are useful for knowing what works for you, but it is not useful for knowing what is actually working. We are just not good at evaluating products unless you do a blinded test and you have no motivated reasoning for making a choice. If you want to use personal experience to decide how something works, you'll need to do a completely blinded test.
As to your question of oil infused shampoos, in most cases the answer is yes, it's a claims ingredient used at a very low, insignificant level.
OP can also check the formulas at pilotchemical as they're simpler and more straightforward.
He needs to check to see what chemicals are available locally.