Making a mild shampoo - Chemists Corner

Hair

Making a mild shampoo

Posted by Mel55 on March 10, 2019 at 6:12 am

Hello,
I have been struggling to make a mild shampoo, particularly getting it to the right viscosity. I make a simple clarifying shampoo that I really like but as I live in a hot climate, I often need to wash my hair every day and would like something a little milder. It is only for my person use. This is the formula for the clarifying shampoo. Does anyone have any advice on the best way to make this a mild/everyday product?

68.5                 Water

15                    SLeS

10                    Coco Betaine

0.5                   Preservative

6                      Salt

Citric acid as required

One of the ingredients I have tried to add is glycol distearate, but no matter how I attempt to melt it (separately, with other surfactants or as part of the water phase) it always crystalises on the top of the solution as it cools. I’m not sure if anyone has any idea what I am doing wrong.

Thanks,
Mel.

myatmyat replied 5 years ago 7 Members · 8 Replies
8 Replies

ngarayeva001

Member
March 10, 2019 at 7:31 am

1) Do you have access to other non conventional surfactants such as olefin sulfonate?
2) is that CAPB or actually coco betaine?
3) 15% of SLES is that actual concentration or as supplied?
sven

Member
March 10, 2019 at 1:20 pm

way to much salt. around +3% it will not have any thickening effect. Perry has a great blog on a salt curve analysis. Check your ASM.
Mel55

Member
March 10, 2019 at 9:35 pm

Sorry that should have been 2% salt. The SLeS is 70% active. The Coco betaine is actually Cocoamidopropyl Betaine (30% active). Apologies, I have no chemistry background.
Quimico

Member
April 19, 2019 at 7:13 pm

Mel55 What is the concentration of SLES?
A regular Shampoo; For 100 kg
1. GLYCERIN 1
2. SLES 70% 16
3. DEA 2
4. BETAINE39% 6
5. EDTA 1
6. SALT 4-5
7. PERFUME 0.15
you will get almost shower gel
em88

Member
April 20, 2019 at 8:26 am

4-5% salt? ?
Gunther

Member
April 20, 2019 at 3:23 pm

Mel55 said:

Hello,
I have been struggling to make a mild shampoo, particularly getting it to the right viscosity. I make a simple clarifying shampoo that I really like but as I live in a hot climate, I often need to wash my hair every day and would like something a little milder. It is only for my person use. This is the formula for the clarifying shampoo. Does anyone have any advice on the best way to make this a mild/everyday product?

68.5                 Water

15                    SLeS

10                    Coco Betaine

0.5                   Preservative

6                      Salt

Citric acid as required

One of the ingredients I have tried to add is glycol distearate, but no matter how I attempt to melt it (separately, with other surfactants or as part of the water phase) it always crystalises on the top of the solution as it cools. I’m not sure if anyone has any idea what I am doing wrong.

Thanks,
Mel.

Is that 15% active SLES?
15% as supplied SLES? @30%? @70%

The lowest active SLES concentration that still thickens with betaine or salt is about 8%, according to my experiments

Is that 10% active coco betaine?
10 % as-supplied coco betaine?

6% salt is way too much and will make it thinner. Add salt in small increments like 0.10 or 0.25% to get the desired viscosity and preferably do a salt curve experiment.

Forget about bare glycol distereate and get a ready-made, commercial pearlizer blend.
Gunther

Member
April 20, 2019 at 3:25 pm

Quimico said:

Mel55 What is the concentration of SLES?
A regular Shampoo; For 100 kg
1. GLYCERIN 1
2. SLES 70% 16
3. DEA 2
4. BETAINE39% 6
5. EDTA 1
6. SALT 4-5
7. PERFUME 0.15
you will get almost shower gel

1% EDTA is way too much. 0.1% is enough.

4-5% salt will make it thinner.

2% Cocamide DEA will likely leave a sticky afterfeel.
myatmyat

Member
April 24, 2019 at 12:42 pm

What should I use instead of triclosan??(anti bacterial agent)