Home Cosmetic Science Talk Formulating Skin Body Wash pH

  • Body Wash pH

    Posted by masterclean on November 23, 2019 at 10:55 am

    Our Body wash pH is 5.5 to 6, but we have found that at this pH it is found very slippery on the skin i.e. it takes 3 to 4 water washes to clean. We increased pH to 8.5 and found the slippery effect is little bit solved but is this pH (8.5) is good for the skin? Because many literature says that the ideal pH for skin care should be around 5 to 6.5. Can any body please guide.. Thank yo in advance.

    masterclean replied 4 years, 4 months ago 8 Members · 12 Replies
  • 12 Replies
  • natzam44

    Member
    November 23, 2019 at 3:40 pm

    I would personally not use a body wash with pH 8.5.

    I would keep the pH at 5.5-6 and try to correct the slip using other methods.

  • OldPerry

    Member
    November 25, 2019 at 2:41 pm

    There are better ways to fix the slippery problem than raising the pH that high. But without knowing what is in your formula, there isn’t much advice that can be given.

  • masterclean

    Member
    November 27, 2019 at 6:11 am

    Thanks for reply.

    SLES (28%)-40
    CAPB (32%)-14
    Na Sarcocinate (30%)-5
    Glycirine -1
    EDTA-0.2
    Na.Benzoate-0.2
    NaOH
    Citric Acid

  • mikethair

    Member
    November 30, 2019 at 1:44 am
    We saponify oils to produce liquid washes with pH around 9.5. We have been producing for about 20 years for our own label and OEM/Private Label. This pH has never been a problem.
    Going back to my research scientist days a long time ago, I was doing a lot of mathematical modeling for the skin. The mantle recovers quickly. Plus, the chemistry of cleaning favours a higher pH. It’s a wash-off product, so the body wash is not in contact with the skin long.
    Not a popular view. But that’s what we do.
  • ngarayeva001

    Member
    November 30, 2019 at 1:04 pm

    Maybe what you call slippery is your own perception? People who got used to using alkaline soaps often don’t like the feel that remains after surfactants but it’s just a matter of a habit. There’s nothing wrong with your formula except for the fact that sodium benzoate isn’t a great choice for this type of product. It requires low pH (and pH of surfactant products might shift with time) and you need to supplement it with another preservative. 

  • Gunther

    Member
    November 30, 2019 at 8:23 pm

    Drop the glycerin (or reduce it to claim ingredient levels, 0.01% or so). It does nothing and may leave a sticky afterfeel.

    You can try reducing SLES to about 8% active ingredient, using about 28.6% )at 28% concentration).

  • belassi

    Member
    December 1, 2019 at 5:28 pm

    Use a higher quality surfactant for the base. I hate SLES because it has horrible sensorials: short-flow.

  • masterclean

    Member
    December 2, 2019 at 6:29 am

    Thank you very much all masters for your valuable comments.

  • Chemist77

    Member
    December 2, 2019 at 3:04 pm

    @Belassi what would you recommend then if not SLES as a high quality surfactant. You know blends are still not such a craze after all given the cost constraints.

  • belassi

    Member
    December 2, 2019 at 3:16 pm

    ALES, for one. Akypo RLM-45, another.

  • Chemist77

    Member
    December 2, 2019 at 5:43 pm

    Thanks @Belassi 

  • masterclean

    Member
    December 3, 2019 at 8:50 am

    Gunther said:

    Drop the glycerin (or reduce it to claim ingredient levels, 0.01% or so). It does nothing and may leave a sticky afterfeel.

    You can try reducing SLES to about 8% active ingredient, using about 28.6% )at 28% concentration).

    Thank you..
     We can reduce SLES and make a trial batch, but do we need to keep rest ingredients as it is? I mean majorly for CAPB and Na Sarcocinate to be kept as it is or should we increase them to meet 100% final volume.

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