Home Cosmetic Science Talk Formulating Hair Citric acid in shampoo

  • Citric acid in shampoo

    Posted by Sabina on January 1, 2023 at 6:16 pm

    Hi,
    I am formulating a shampoo with SCI and CAPB. Recently I found that PH Is high. Do I added 2.5%  of citric acid. The pH is now around 4 to 5. However, i feel that the lathering ability has gone down. 
    Can someone throw light if citric acid lowers the lathering ability? I guess i have added a bit too much. 1 percent coud have been enough 

    Sabina replied 1 year, 10 months ago 5 Members · 12 Replies
  • 12 Replies
  • ketchito

    Member
    January 2, 2023 at 2:21 am

    @Sabina Are you reducing pH because you’re using an organic acid as preservative? I believe the system you have works best at a pH closer to 6. 

  • LeoCosm

    Member
    January 2, 2023 at 12:51 pm

    Hello, you should add citric acid until you reach pH around 5.5-6. Lower pH causes SCI hydrolysis and the loss of its properties

  • Abdullah

    Member
    January 2, 2023 at 1:23 pm

    Can you write your formula? 

    2.5% citric acid will reduce the pH a lot lower.

  • Sabina

    Member
    January 23, 2023 at 7:48 am

    ketchito said:

    @Sabina Are you reducing pH because you’re using an organic acid as preservative? I believe the system you have works best at a pH closer to 6. 

    I am using food grade preservation. Sodium benzoate and potassium hydroxide

  • Sabina

    Member
    January 23, 2023 at 8:01 am

    LeoCosm said:

    Hello, you should add citric acid until you reach pH around 5.5-6. Lower pH causes SCI hydrolysis and the loss of its properties

    Yes I guess. Also I read somewhere that  CAPB loses its properties depending on the PH values. So that might be the reason. Thanks ????

  • Sabina

    Member
    January 23, 2023 at 8:02 am

    Abdullah said:

    Can you write your formula? 

    2.5% citric acid will reduce the pH a lot lower.

    It’s 10 percent of SCI, 20 percent of CAPB. Remaining aqua and few extracts, 5 percent Preservatives and 2.5 citric 

  • Sabina

    Member
    January 23, 2023 at 8:02 am

    Sorry for the delayed response.  :(

  • Abdullah

    Member
    January 23, 2023 at 1:32 pm

    In my experience even 0.25% citric acid reduces the pH too much. 

    At very low pH sci may not work very well. That is why foam has reduced. 

    Keep the pH around 6. 

    What preservative are you using? 5% is too much

  • MarkBroussard

    Member
    January 23, 2023 at 2:40 pm

    Sabina said:

    ketchito said:

    @Sabina Are you reducing pH because you’re using an organic acid as preservative? I believe the system you have works best at a pH closer to 6. 

    I am using food grade preservation. Sodium benzoate and potassium hydroxide

    Is the potassium hydroxide a typo and you meant potassium sorbate?  Potassium hydroxide is a base, not a preservative.

    It would appear from your comments that you do not have a pH meter?

  • Sabina

    Member
    January 30, 2023 at 10:58 am

    Sabina said:

    ketchito said:

    @Sabina Are you reducing pH because you’re using an organic acid as preservative? I believe the system you have works best at a pH closer to 6. 

    I am using food grade preservation. Sodium benzoate and potassium hydroxide

    Is the potassium hydroxide a typo and you meant potassium sorbate?  Potassium hydroxide is a base, not a preservative.

    It would appear from your comments that you do not have a pH meter?

    Yes. My bad. It was a typo. I use potassium sorbate. I don’t have pH meter. But I do use pH strips though. I am using Sodium benzonate and potassium sorbate at 1 percent

  • Sabina

    Member
    January 30, 2023 at 10:59 am

    Abdullah said:

    In my experience even 0.25% citric acid reduces the pH too much. 

    At very low pH sci may not work very well. That is why foam has reduced. 

    Keep the pH around 6. 

    What preservative are you using? 5% is too much

    Sorry 1 percent. 0.5 percent of sodium benzoate 0.5 percent pottasium sorbate. Also the 2.5 percent of citric acid is diluted with equal amount of water . So is should be 1.25 GM’s of citrc and 1.25  ml of water 

  • Sabina

    Member
    February 9, 2023 at 8:03 am

    I am sorry to post this question here. But I am unable to find the section to post new query.

    Can you highlight the adverse effect of formulating a shampoo with a higer ASM. The total ASM in my shampoo was above 20.

    Miscalculation happened as i thought that asm of my CAPB was 35. Where as it was actually more concentrated up to 70:(

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