Help! My spray in detangler keeps separating

Formulating

Help! My spray in detangler keeps separating

Posted by Unknown Member on September 21, 2025 at 12:35 pm

I am trying to formulate a leave in hair detangler/heat protectant and it keeps separating. I have tried many variations. Here is my latest formula:

92.9% water

0.3% Behentrimonium Chloride

0.3% Cetearyl Alcohol

2% Centrimonium Chloride

1% Panthenol

3% Vegan Thermal Shield (from FSS) its water soluable

0.5% Liquid Germall Plus

I have tried up to 3% BTMC and tried without the Cetearyl alcohol as well. The spray detangles amazingly, but separates. I want it to spray in a mist and not a stream. Right now my formula mists out beautifully.

ketchito replied 1 month, 2 weeks ago 3 Members · 8 Replies
8 Replies

ketchito

Member
September 22, 2025 at 5:29 am

Try increasing the cetearyl alcohol up to 3%. I believe you want a sprayable product, right?
- Unknown Member
  
  Member
  September 23, 2025 at 3:11 pm
  
  Yes, I want it to mist out and not stream out. Should I increase my BTMC as well? or do 0.3% BTMS and 3% Cetearyl Alcohol? I want maximum detangling action.
  
  Thank you for your reply!! Been trying lots of experiments with same results! ughh
  - Unknown Member
    
    Member
    September 23, 2025 at 3:35 pm
    
    I tried 3% cetearyl but it was way too thick to spray
    - ketchito
      
      Member
      September 24, 2025 at 6:12 am
      
      Keep the 0.3% of Behentrimonium and 3% of Cetearyl alcohol, and add some Propylene glycol (like 3-4%). Check this product, which is one of the best sprays out there: It’s a 10 Haircare Miracle Leave-In Product ingredients (Explained)
      
      This reply was modified 1 month, 3 weeks ago by ketchito.
      
      incidecoder.com
      It's a 10 Haircare Miracle Leave-In Product ingredients (Explained)
      It's a 10 Haircare Miracle Leave-In Product ingredients explained: Water, Propylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Behentrimonium Chloride, Panthenol, Silk Amino Acids, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract, Quaternium-80, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Ethylparaben, … Continue reading
MDBeauty

Member
September 24, 2025 at 4:14 pm

I highly doubt you will be able to spray 3% Cetearyl when 4% makes a decent conditioner. Start by removing the Vegan Thermal Shield. You can use Behentrimonium Chloride and Cetearyl Alcohol but both are best for emulsions, not clear sprays. I’d go with .5% or so cetrimonium and a PQ7 or 10 or maybe PQ11. Hopefully one of the more experienced Chemists will chime in and help.
- Unknown Member
  
  Member
  September 25, 2025 at 12:30 pm
  
  Thank you, I want a creamy spray. I need the Thermal Shield in the formula because it is also a heat protectant spray. I tried 1% BTMC and 1.5% Cetearyl alcohol, it is separating again just a little. I could shake it before each use, but thats not what I want. Thank you for your input
  - ketchito
    
    Member
    September 26, 2025 at 7:26 am
    
    You’re getting your ratios wrong. It’s all about crystal packing, and for that you need excess fatty alcohol compared to your behentrimonium (like 3:1 up to 6:1). As I mentioned previously, if you need to reduce viscosity to make it more sprayable, add some propylene glycol.
ketchito

Member
September 25, 2025 at 8:23 am

That’s one of the beauties of LGN’s. You can add some Propylene glycol (PG) to “destabilize” part of the LGN that was formed by the BC:CA:water, to make it less viscous (and less opaque). Just don’t add too much PG because you need to have a LGN for its conditioning properties. This was well used by the product “It’s a 10” which is a somehow viscous yet sprayable and very conditioning product. You can check this paper on the matter: The stability of lamellar phases in water, propylene glycol, and surfactant mixtures - ScienceDirect.

sciencedirect.com
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