Home Cosmetic Science Talk Formulating Hair Styling Formulation - HELP

  • Hair Styling Formulation - HELP

    Posted by Louiswch on July 21, 2019 at 4:28 pm

    Hi Chemists,

    I have just made my first batch of hair styling clay and it didnt turn out as expected. 

    I am not sure why is my finish product is clumpy thick and grainy. 

    I heated my wax phase ingredients to 70 Celsius and let it cool off to around 50 before adding Kaolin and Bentonite Clay. After which i follow by heating up to 70 Celsius and add in the water phase ingredients.

    I suspected that i add in too much kaolin and bentonite clay but am i doing it wrong? Would love some expert advice as the end product should be creamy and smooth and easy pliable. 

    This are the list of ingredients i used:
    PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
    Jojoba esters
    Neroli infused Aqua
    Kaolin
    Bentonite
    Polysorbate-80
    Catearyl Alchohol (and) Cetearyl Glucoside
    Olive butter
    Lanolin
    Butylene Glycol
    Silica
    Glycerin
    Vit. E oil

    Thanks and hope some expert are able to put in some valuable advice. I have to say this is my first attempt and i have zero chemistry background. So, i may have make some mistake on the stirring part or heating up part.

    Louiswch replied 4 years, 8 months ago 3 Members · 13 Replies
  • 13 Replies
  • Gene

    Member
    July 22, 2019 at 12:42 am

    Percentages please, no one can tell you if you did indeed add in “too much kaolin and bentonite” if we don’t know how much.

  • Louiswch

    Member
    July 22, 2019 at 2:24 am

    Hi there,

    sorry but here are the % in terms of gram that i use

    13g PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
    6g Jojoba esters
    22g Neroli infused Aqua
    5g Kaolin
    3g Bentonite
    3g Polysorbate-80
    2g Catearyl Alchohol (and) Cetearyl Glucoside
    14g Olive butter
    8g Lanolin
    2g Butylene Glycol
    1g Silica
    2g Glycerin
    2-3 drop Vit. E oil

    Thanks!

  • Gene

    Member
    July 23, 2019 at 12:58 am

    Your formula is not in percentage so it is difficult, but you are probably not using too much clay. You should try gelling your water phase and don’t worry about the unnecessary cool before adding clays. Heat your water phase to at least 70C and combine the two together at that temp.

  • Gene

    Member
    July 23, 2019 at 1:01 am

    Also study into properly preserving your product. Especially clays.

  • Louiswch

    Member
    July 23, 2019 at 2:27 am

    Gene said:

    Also study into properly preserving your product. Especially clays.

    Thanks for the feedback! I will try it out tomorrow and update here regarding the result. 

    Just a quick one, when you mention gelling your water phase, you mean when i combining the water phase and the wax phase ingredients together right? 

    Thanks!

  • pharma

    Member
    July 23, 2019 at 6:29 am

    Which quality of kaolin and bentonite did you use? Some grades are fairly coarse/grainy.

  • Gene

    Member
    July 23, 2019 at 12:41 pm

    Gel your water phase with either carbomer or xanthan may improve the texture. You didn’t ever mention what your water phase temp was. This could be part of your problem. Also I don’t know how waxy your formula is, but we pour our final product shortly after emulsification really warm, like 60C.

  • Louiswch

    Member
    July 24, 2019 at 4:27 am

    Gene said:

    Gel your water phase with either carbomer or xanthan may improve the texture. You didn’t ever mention what your water phase temp was. This could be part of your problem. Also I don’t know how waxy your formula is, but we pour our final product shortly after emulsification really warm, like 60C.

    Hi Gene,

    I believe i make some mistake during my first attempt. I should have heat up my water phase to like 70C before slowly mixing it with my wax phase. 

    I heat up my wax phase to about 70C using double boil method. 

    I am going to test out the method you mentioned above later and update you here with the results. 

    I will pour the kaolin and bentonite clay at the last step after i mix my wax and water phase together. Wish me luck!

  • Gene

    Member
    July 25, 2019 at 11:02 am

    Good luck! 

  • Louiswch

    Member
    July 29, 2019 at 2:58 pm

    Gene said:

    Good luck! 

    Hi Gene,

    just did another batch. It doesn’t clump as much this time round however, the end product is still looks rough and Cakey. Anyone have any idea? Is it that I add in too much kaolin and Bentonite clay? Or I did not stir well enough as when I add start to add in the clay bit by bit when I stir, small lumps starts to form. 

    hope someone can provide some tips on maybe I should increase on my wax ingredients or water phase ingredient.

    thanks in advance!

  • Gene

    Member
    July 30, 2019 at 4:49 am

    https://www.ulprospector.com/en/na/PersonalCare/search?k=pomade&st=1

    Also Koster Keunan might have some useful hair styling formulas 

  • Louiswch

    Member
    July 30, 2019 at 6:20 pm

    Pharma said:

    Which quality of kaolin and bentonite did you use? Some grades are fairly coarse/grainy.

    Hi Pharma,

    i got mine from australia new direction so i guess it should be fine? 

    Will update you guys once i perfect the formula:)

  • Louiswch

    Member
    July 30, 2019 at 6:22 pm

    Gene said:

    https://www.ulprospector.com/en/na/PersonalCare/search?k=pomade&st=1

    Also Koster Keunan might have some useful hair styling formulas 

    Hi,

    thanks! I will look them up. Guess i need to c8 an account with th
    first though.. 

    i just thought that i may not have mixed them well enough and i may try to lower my clay content both bentonite and kaolin and i will update you again :)

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