Hair styling - washing out - Chemists Corner

Tagged: clay, hair, hair care, pomade, wax

Hair

Hair styling - washing out

Posted by RickS on August 9, 2019 at 5:49 pm

Hi all,

I am trying to make my own hair wax/clay at home for personal use. Not a strong chemistry background, but really interested to learn. Enjoy reading the posts on this forum!

Currently i am using the following and playing with percentages:
(1) Grapeseed oil
(2) Beeswax
(3) Clay

My questions is: the product seems to work okay, but since i want to have a strong hold (higher beeswax %), i find it hard to wash out of my hair after use. Is there an ingredient that helps me wash out of the hair? (prefer a more natural ingredient if possible- if that even exists!).

I know that PEG40 HCO for example is a surfactant, a solubilizer, an emulsifier, an emollient, a cleansing agent. But given this is an anhydrous mixture, adding PEG40 just makes my simple product very sticky and hard to spread. I assume this is because since PEG40 is an emulsifier too, i have to add water?

Thanks for the help in advance all!
R

RickS replied 4 years, 8 months ago 3 Members · 11 Replies
11 Replies

Gunther

Member
August 9, 2019 at 6:33 pm

PVP K30 and K-90 provide strong hold and can be easily washed away as they’re water soluble.
But I don’t know if they’re oil soluble. They’re alcohol soluble, though.
RickS

Member
August 9, 2019 at 9:04 pm

Thank you for the response Gunther. I will certainly look into that. Yes oil solubility is a key component too. So will definite research.

If i wanted to keep wax as the main hold component, is there 1 ingredient i can add to make wax wash out easily?
RickS

Member
August 11, 2019 at 5:59 pm

If anyone has any other ideas that are more natural/non-synthetic. That would be great!

Thanks all!
OldPerry

Member
August 11, 2019 at 6:21 pm

@RickS - You’ll have to clarify what you mean by “natural”. It’s possible you’ve reached the maximum hold potential by using naturally occurring materials.

The reason companies use synthetic ingredients is because they work better than ones that are not synthetically modified in the lab.
Gunther

Member
August 12, 2019 at 11:28 pm

Maybe you can find some kind of naturally occurring gum that can provide some hold as the solvent evaporates?
i.e. Acacia (gum arabic) comes to mind.

While oils and waxes can provide some mild hold, they will always be difficult to wash out as they are not water soluble.
RickS

Member
August 13, 2019 at 2:07 pm

Thank you for the responses @Perry and @Gunther!
Certainly appreciate the help.

@Perry - thats right, i meant “natural” as in non-synthetic. On the company comment: yes, that definitely makes sense. Then to that point, what are the most common synthetic ingredients for (i) ease of wash out and (ii) strength of hold? Would be great to make a water based or anhydrous clay/wax at home!

@Gunther - thank you again for the response here sir. I will look into that and other gums as well as the PVP ingredients. Thanks again.
OldPerry

Member
August 13, 2019 at 6:22 pm

As @Gunther said, for hold PVP or PVP/VA are the ones that are most effective and washable.
RickS

Member
August 13, 2019 at 6:41 pm

Thank you all. Appreciate the insight!

@Perry / @Gunther - will definitely try that. What % is typical to used? Also, i guess i since this provides a hold factor, i should reduce my beeswax % to balance it out? (so it doesn’t turn my hair into cement!)

Also: I understand that peg 8 beeswax is easier to wash out than normal beeswax? Could i in theory just replace beeswax with this?

Thanks!
RickS

Member
August 14, 2019 at 3:51 pm

Also wondering if there is a non-petroleum based ingredient to use? as i understand that PVP or PVP/VA are derived from petroleum.
Gunther

Member
August 15, 2019 at 12:55 am

Natural waxes and gums are plant derived.
The challenge with the first ones will be emulsifying them (or making an anhydrous, oil based formulation)

The challenge with gums will be getting enough hold, but not too much so it can still be washed away.
Gums are hard to preserve too.
RickS

Member
August 16, 2019 at 2:36 pm

@Gunther

Thank you sir! Will continue to do my research!