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Adding guar gum to cold process shampoo?
Hello. i am planning to add 1% guar gum ( hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride) into my cold process shampoo formulation. I need to know the best method to hydrAte/dissolve it perfectly to avoid separation. I am planning to mix it with some distilled water and stir it continuously for 15-20 mins. Then add it to the water phase with rest of ingrediants kept at room temperature. I have water soluble panthenol and hydrolyzed proteins in my water phase too. Do I need to heat the phase to dissolve guar gum or not???
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14 Replies
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No. You can add to water cold
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I have this same question. I have tried to use this guar gum and I have failed every time in my shampoo formula. I don’t You need to heat the guar gum. I have also heard using glycerin to mix with the guar gum and then add to the shampoo mixture.
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It is usual to pre-disperse gums.
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So would you say I can add it by mixin in the glycerin first, make a separate paste of xanthan gum and add these 2 pastes one by one in the water?
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Or can i mix both gums( xantham and guar) in glycerin at the same time and add them in water?
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I have never used both of those at once so I cannot advise. In general, I would apply the same principle I adopted for mixing solutions: do not add one powder after another to the same vessel. Different compounds have different preferred solubilities. You can find that you dissolve, say, citric acid easily, but when you add (eg) sodium benzoate it stubbornly refuses to dissolve. Which is a real bugger. I would divide the water phase in half, disperse one gum, then the other, in half the glycerin each. Add the result separately to the two vessels. Then combine the two. Whether the resultant sensorials are adequate is a matter of debate.
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I’m assuming you are making a shampoo that doesn’t thicken with electrolytes. I advise going hot process which will allow you to add 1% to 1.5% PEG-150 distearate and 1% Cocamide MEA. Need a combo because relying on one produces lousy sensorials. If you want to know any more you will have to come out of the
closetfume cupboard and tell us what is in it. -
Disperse in water and neutralise with citric acid under pH 4, it will clear up and you are good to go ahead with other additions in the formulation. This is cationic guar and no need of pre-dispersion.
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I agree but check degree of cationic substitution on the Guar: I recall having a problem using it with xanthan gum as it is an anionic polysaccharide.
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Ok thnks a lot for ur inputs. Ill try all methods and let u know how it went
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@Chemist77 hi I followed ur method of just sprinking it on the water held at room temp and neutrialised it with some citric acid. I just want to update u on the trials so far. As soon as i added citric acid solution, it became like a gel so I didnt leave it for another 15-20mins to hydrate. I waited about 5mins and added all water phase ingrediants and mixed them well. thickness in final samples looks fine but it looks like something isnt dissolved properly as the liquid isnt clear and have to keep shaking to make it look even. Have u got any idea why is this happening? Do i need to heat the water phase? Im using cold process to make this.
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Btw I only used guar gum on its own- not xantham and guar
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I am going to try hot process next by just heating up all water phase ingrediants together and addin them in the surfactant mix once its cooled down. Fingers cross
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Some Guars require a certain pH to “activate” and you usually get better results with heat.
Check the specs and manufacturer’s recommended formulation guidelines.
Yes, you can make slurry with Glycerin & Guar … easier to disperse that way.
As noted above, Xanthan and Guar are generally not compatible and will precipitate out.
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