-
Hair mist with Cosgard 221. Any suggestions?
Hi everyone. I am starting my journey in formulation I am loving it. Can’t wait to learn and improve.
So I have been working on a simple hair mist… mainly water and two actives (honeyquat and panthenol). pH is 5.5. Preservative is Cosgard 221. At some point I want it to get the product tested. How can I improve the preservative system? I am interested in a shelf life of at least 6 months. Purpose of the product is to refresh and rehydrate the hair while on protective styles.Thanks in advance
-
14 Replies
-
Change the preservative, or add an anti fungal or reduce the pH to 4
-
Hi Abdullah thanks for replying back. I am using Cosgard 221 at 0.4%. What antifungal preservative can I add? I would like to keep this preservative because it has an aroma that blends well with my fragrance.
-
You are really on low side of the input for this preservative.
Aim for the highest allowed input mate.
You are having basically a perfect environment for microbial growth - water with an amazing food source.Lower the pH as suggested, add some chelating agent and you could be fine.
-
Yes. Use 1%, lower the pH to ≥4 and add some sodium benzoate and a chelating agent if it is compatible with honeyquat
-
Thank you guys for your feedback @Abdullah @Paprik. I would like the hair mist to have the highest pH possible so that it has a cuticle opening effect on low porosity hair. Small quantities of Cosgard 221 blends well with my fragrance. I am afraid at 1% the mist is gonna smell awful.
Let’s say that I swift to Phenoxyethanol and Ethylglycerine and I add EDTA as well, what other preservative do you suggest.Thanks in advance. -
Oh wait if I use Ethylglycerine I no longer need EDTA correct?
-
@mariamu96 If the maximum pH you want to reach is 5.5, that’s not so bad, although getting a bit closer to 5 would be better. Cosgard 221 has Dehydroacetic acid and even though it has a higher pKa than Benzoic acid, it still needs an acid media to perform. If you switch to Phenoxy/EHG, you still benefit from using EDTA (it works differently than your preservarives).
Now, why do you want to open cuticles? That’s the least you want to do (unless you’re in the middle of colouring process and you require dyes to penetrate). For both virgin and chemically treated hair, cuticles lifting makes hair more prone to friction, static, descaling, light scattering (dullness), color fade (in case of coloured hair), swelling, etc.
-
@ketchito I am interested in gently opening the cuticles so that t low porosity hair, 4c afro hair absorbes better the moisture. Then the hydrating mist is followed with a cream with a balanced pH and oil. My goal is that my mist has a pH between 5 or 6 if possible.
-
@Abdullah @Paprik @ketchito . Hi guys, I have tried Cosgard 221 at 1% and it smells too strong. I am gonna change the preservant. I have looked into Optiphen plus and Euxyl PE9010, but they are expensive and not water soluble per se.
What do you think about using in my hair mist….
sodium benzoate/potasium sorbate at 1%
phenoxyethanol at 0.5%
disodium EDTA 0,1%
water
honeyquat
panthenol
fragance
ph adjuster q.s to pH 5?Thanks in advance,
any help is much appreciate it :blush:
-
Good - Cosgard221 (as DHA) should not be used in spray products.
Might cut down on phenoxy - 0.3 will prob be adequate -
@PhilGeis Thanks for the help.
-
mariamu96 said:@ketchito I am interested in gently opening the cuticles so that t low porosity hair, 4c afro hair absorbes better the moisture. Then the hydrating mist is followed with a cream with a balanced pH and oil. My goal is that my mist has a pH between 5 or 6 if possible.
@mariamu96 No need to “open” cuticles here. Hair moisture is self regulated. What you could do to help hair keep its moisture (specially in warm environments) is to use film forming agents, and cationic surfactants (or esters) that bind cutticle edges. Also, small organic acids (maleic, for instance), can actually get into the cortex and help retain moisture.
-
@ketchito thanks for the feedback.
Log in to reply.