• Formulating

  Foaming problem in facewash

  Posted by shahbaz on March 5, 2014 at 8:43 am

  Hi,

  I am trying to make face wash based on SLES 4% , Coconut DEA 1% or CAPB 1% with Solan E 2% and polyquaternium-7 @ 1%, NaCl  4-5 % for thickening. The major problem I am facingi is that its foaming is less and does not form readily, if I increases SLES up to 8 % then it gets too harsh and still there is no significant increase in foam. Also on oily skin the foam depresses completely. Ingredients available me to play with  are SLES, CAPB, Coconut DEA, Glycerin, PG, Solan E, synthalen w400, PROTELAN LS 9011, polyquaternium-7, hydroxyethyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose. Can anyone suggests with these ingredients

  
  

  Also can anyone tell useful literature on foaming and its related?

  Gustavo replied 10 years, 8 months ago 6 Members · 7 Replies
• 7 Replies

• 

  OldPerry

  Member

  March 7, 2014 at 8:43 am

  4-5% salt for thickening!  Wow!!  You might try to cut that back to under 2%.  Also, you didn’t say whether that was 100% active SLES or 25% active SLES.  If it is the latter, your 4% SLES is really 1% SLES.

  8% SLES, 2% CAPB should be a good foaming starting point.
• 

  mikebavington

  Member

  March 7, 2014 at 10:19 am

  If doubling of the SLES didnt change things that much, I would say you have too many ‘impurities’ in your water. Are you using distilled water? I think the 4% salt is too high and is preventing foaming as well.

  Also, I believe the ph of your formula will affect the amount of foam produced Try adjusting the ph and see if it helps. A ph of 5.5 would be a good target.

• 

  shahbaz

  Member

  March 7, 2014 at 11:31 am

  @ Perry, I am using SLES 4%(Cognis Texapon N70). Required
  thickening was obtained 4% salt, I was also amazed with that. Will try to lower
  salt in combinition with hydroxpropyl methylcellulose.

  Also by 8% SLES 
  did  you mean SLES (100%) 8%?

   On oily skin foam
  completely suppressed, is there any way to have good foam in the presence of
  sebum on skin?

   Any technique for
  flash foaming?

   

  @ mikebavington, I will reduce salt and will adjust pH near
  to you said.

  Also any good literature on foaming and foaming techniques?

   

  Thanks both of you.

• 

  MakingSkincare

  Member

  March 7, 2014 at 11:34 am

  adding disodium EDTA will stabilize the foam and bind the metal ions together so you’ll get a bit more lather and it will also help your preservative

  
  

  
  
• 

  cherri

  Member

  March 12, 2014 at 9:58 pm

  I tried plantaren 2000 alone and it has really good foaming… hope this helps.

• 

  shahbaz

  Member

  March 14, 2014 at 4:18 pm

  Thanks all !!!  all suggestions here helped me well.

• 

  Gustavo

  Member

  March 17, 2014 at 8:19 am

  If it is still in time. Instead of just doubling SLES, double CAPB. I’d try with 6% SLES + 2% CAPB. It’ll require less salt to thicken.

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