Home Cosmetic Science Talk Formulating SLS downside to shampoo?

  • SLS downside to shampoo?

    Posted by Caliber on August 23, 2019 at 12:45 pm

    My shampoo have SLS on it, and I think it is the cause of the itchiness is this true? Is there any substitute to SLS or is there any ingredient that can remove the itchiness of the SLS? Thank you!

    gunther replied 4 years, 7 months ago 7 Members · 9 Replies
  • 9 Replies
  • ngarayeva001

    Member
    August 23, 2019 at 2:41 pm

    Potentially. SLS is not mild. What is your formula?

  • sven

    Member
    August 23, 2019 at 3:57 pm

    Synergistic with some capb you can make it milder

  • oldperry

    Member
    August 23, 2019 at 4:31 pm

    It depends on how much you use and what else is in the formula. @sven is right, cocamidopropyl betaine can offset irritation. Some people use SLES in conjunction with SLS for the same purpose (offset irritation).

  • belassi

    Member
    August 23, 2019 at 5:43 pm

    I personally think it’s a really crap surfactant, the only things going for it are a lot of foam and cheapness.

  • ngarayeva001

    Member
    August 23, 2019 at 8:37 pm

    Out of sulfate free I find olefin sulfonate the best option: also very cheap (funny enough repackers in the UK sell SLES and SLS at a higher price), a decent foamer, easy to use, reacts well to thickeners (and even to salt a little bit), milder than SLES. The only thing, it’s yellow.

  • gunther

    Member
    August 24, 2019 at 4:50 pm

    SLS is added to improve SLES foam profile
    https://www.happi.com/contents/view_features/2009-09-02/the-formulation-basics-for-personal-cleansers/

    You can try a SLES only shampoo.
    If irritation persists, then you can try a sulfate free shampoo.
    If irritation still persists then you can try a cocamidopropyl betaine based very mild shampoo, or conditioner wash (co-wash).

  • Aziz

    Member
    August 24, 2019 at 5:56 pm

    Out of sulfate free I find olefin sulfonate the best option: also very cheap (funny enough repackers in the UK sell SLES and SLS at a higher price), a decent foamer, easy to use, reacts well to thickeners (and even to salt a little bit), milder than SLES. The only thing, it’s yellow.

    I am making AOS based shampoo but hurdles to make it thick . AOS based shampoo is eye irritant where SLS +SLES +CAPB based shampoo is less eye irritant .

  • Aziz

    Member
    August 24, 2019 at 6:06 pm

    Gunther said:

    SLS is added to improve SLES foam profile
    https://www.happi.com/contents/view_features/2009-09-02/the-formulation-basics-for-personal-cleansers/

    You can try a SLES only shampoo.
    If irritation persists, then you can try a sulfate free shampoo.
    If irritation still persists then you can try a cocamidopropyl betaine based very mild shampoo, or conditioner wash (co-wash).

    In that case , how to thick a CAPB only shampoo ?

  • gunther

    Member
    August 26, 2019 at 5:38 pm

    Aziz said:

    Gunther said:

    SLS is added to improve SLES foam profile
    https://www.happi.com/contents/view_features/2009-09-02/the-formulation-basics-for-personal-cleansers/

    You can try a SLES only shampoo.
    If irritation persists, then you can try a sulfate free shampoo.
    If irritation still persists then you can try a cocamidopropyl betaine based very mild shampoo, or conditioner wash (co-wash).

    In that case , how to thick a CAPB only shampoo ?

    You’ll need a salt-resistant thickener
    Something like Carbopol Ultrez, HEC, HPMC, xanthan gum  or combinations of the above.
    Anyhow, you’d better start a new thread to ask that.

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