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Formula Advice: Gentle Shampoo + Body Wash
Hello,
I am new to this forum and seeking advice on a formula I have recently made. It is supposed to be a gentle shampoo and body wash which I am hoping to make usable by children two years and older. I do not intend on selling this product, but instead giving them away as gifts to friends and family. I want to clarify that I am absolutely a beginner at formulating and trying to learn more every day.
Formula:
- Distilled Water: 67%
- Decyl Glucoside: 10%
- Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate:5%
- Shea Butteramidopropyl Betaine: 5%
- PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil: 5%
- Hydrolyzed Rice Protein: 5%
- Tocopherol (Vitamin E Oil): 2%
- Preservative (Benzyl Alcohol, Salicylic Acid, Glycerin, and Sorbic Acid): 1%
This resulted in a cleanser that produced a nice amount of foam and left my skin feeling clean but not stripped. I have a few concerns, though:
- Is the Vitamin E oil worth adding to a rinse-off product? I found some research that believes it might have some effectiveness in this application, but I was hoping to hear your opinions. I know oil is generally useless in a cleanser.
- In this version of the formula, the Vitamin E oil separated onto the top layer of the product. I thought the combination of SCI and HCO would take care of that, but it seems I was wrong, or maybe didn’t use enough. I made another version where I subbed 3% of the water weight for BTMS-25 and it has not separated yet, but I am not sure if that is the right choice because I am not using cationic surfactants.
- Is the salicylic acid content of the preservative unsafe for children’s skin? If so, can an alternative preservative be suggested?
- Is Decyl Glucoside a bad choice for a surfactant? I ordered it before learning that it has been linked to contact dermatitis and I have seen some distaste for it in this forum, but it is still used by brands like Johnson & Johnson and Pipette Baby, which is why I originally thought it was a safe choice.
If anyone has additional suggestions or comments they would like to make, I would really appreciate it. This formula might be a total mess, but I am still learning and trying to start with something simple.