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Shampoo Surfactants
Hello,I am branching into shampoo and am looking for feedback on the two surfactants I currently have and also others to look into. I am interested in making this a natural or nearly natural product if possible.Current Surfactants:1) Caprylyl Capryl Glucoside2)
Sodium Cocoyl IsethionateQuestions:1) Are these two surfactants used together sufficient for a shampoo? Obviously not the entire formula, just the surfactant portion.2) If so, what % is recommended?3) If not, what other natural surfactants are suggested, why ?Thanks! -
11 Replies
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Yes, you could make a shampoo with only those two surfactants. You might start with 20% SCI and 10% CCG and see what foam profile you get and adjust from there, but those are good starting points.
It is easiest if you grind the SCI into a fine powder, disperse it in cold water with stirring, and then heat it to 80C until all SCI is melted.
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@MarkBroussard: thank you!
So what would be the differences between those and other surfactants like the ones listed below?
Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate
Decyl Glucoside
Coco-Glucoside
Disodium Lauroyl Glutamate
Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate
Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate Flake
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Crushing the SCI did help with dispersion, but i am having issues with foaming during the mixing process. How do I mix/emulsify without foaming?
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I am also interested in the answer to this question with my hair product. One tip was that high PH can cause foaming, so I have tried reducing PH using citric acid. It did not make a big difference however. I also tried adjusting my mixing (lower RPM, setting the blade deeper in the beaker), and keeping my temperature as low as possible just to melt ingredients.
Apparently silicones (Dimethicone) work to kill foam, but they can’t be added at any higher than 50 degrees celcius. Not sure how to use them when going to 80 and beyond.
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It’s a shampoo, it’s supposed to foam!
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@Belassi Yes, shampoo is supposed to foam. but if I am making a gallon of shampoo and mixing at a high rate it turns into all bubbles and overflows the mixing container after it has been agitated for emulsification. It is also difficult to pour a pot full of bubbles into individual bottles.
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@ajw000 - you don’t emulsify a shampoo. It’s a solution. You’re probably mixing too aggressively.
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This shouldn’t really be a problem, as Perry said. Use a paddle style mixer, mix at low rpm and keep the paddle well below the surface. Then simply let the shampoo rest for a few hours, overnight if necessary, prior to pouring. The foam will have subsided.
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@perry @Belassi
Thank you, I am use to mixing hair styling products that you want mixed “aggressively”. Will try turning down the rpm and let sit.
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You may wish to consider a ready-made sulfate-free commercial combo.
They work better and are cheaper than buying the individual ingredients, unless you’re making tons of it per week. -
I second @Gunther. If you want sulphate free, there are so many combinations and different surfactants it could take a lifetime to come up with what you deem acceptable. It took me, oh, a year I think, to come up with my first, and it needed thickening with a very expensive thickener. It was ok but it was too expensive. Then I spent another six months experimenting with things like Plantaren LGC Sorb, Betaine, sodium cocoamphoacetate … the list goes on.
None of this mattered in the end. The ammonium sulphate based blend and CAPB so far outperformed everything else, it became the product my customers want, and when I used it as a base for novelty shampoos such as tea tree, coffee, and so forth, even more so.
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