Home Cosmetic Science Talk Formulating Thickener for Shampoo

  • Thickener for Shampoo

    Posted by Mello on June 3, 2019 at 3:38 am

    Hi All,

     I would appreciate your help in finding a thicken for my shampoo. The shampoo is developed for ethnic hair especially the dry kind.

    I have made this shampoo it cleans well, foam is good, feels nice on the hair  however, I want it to be thicker. Can you please suggest a thickener. I am trying to stay in the realm of naturally derived:

    Formula:

    Water: 44
    Aloe juice: 10
    Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate: 10
    SCI: 14
    CoCo Beatine: 10 
    Glycerin: 3
    Catonic guar:.5
    GSB: 1.5 (perservative)

    caprylylcapryl
    glucoside: 3
    Glyceryl Stearate SE: 3
    Peppermint: .3
    Bergamont:.3
    lavender:.2
    ylang ylang:.2

    MarkBroussard replied 5 years, 5 months ago 5 Members · 13 Replies
  • 13 Replies
  • Fekher

    Member
    June 3, 2019 at 4:14 am

    @Mello try slat may it can help.

  • Anonymous

    Guest
    June 3, 2019 at 7:48 am

    sepigel

  • ngarayeva001

    Member
    June 3, 2019 at 9:59 am

    Aloe juice: 10 - too much
    Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate: 10
    SCI: 14 - powder? what’s your total active surfactant?
    CoCo Beatine: 10 - is it actually coco betaine or CAPB?
    Glycerin: 3
    Catonic guar:.5
    GSB: 1.5 (perservative)

    caprylylcapryl glucoside: 3
    Glyceryl Stearate SE: 3 - what is the purpose of it in a shampoo?

    SCI responds to salt a little. Have you tried?

  • Mello

    Member
    June 3, 2019 at 1:17 pm

    @ngarayeva001
    SCi is 82 % active and its the chip
    It’s Cocamidopropyl betaine
    Glyceryl Stearate SE  used as an emollient and the pearl look it gives the shampoo.

    If I didn’t want to use salt are there any other options.

  • ngarayeva001

    Member
    June 3, 2019 at 1:48 pm

    (14*.08)+(10*.35)+(10*.30) = 18 (approx)
    I assumed that your CAPB is 35% and Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate is 30%. A mild shampoo is recommended to stay within 15%. So you might want to recalculate.

    Main natural thickeners are salt and gums. There are plenty of options but they wouldn’t be PEG free.

  • Dr Catherine Pratt

    Member
    June 3, 2019 at 5:49 pm

    Have you hydrated the Guar properly to begin with? you could increase that too.

  • Mello

    Member
    June 5, 2019 at 10:09 pm

    @”Dr Catherine Pratt” yes I think so, I pre hydrate first and let it sit for 30 minutes then add to remaining water phase and heat. 

  • MarkBroussard

    Member
    June 6, 2019 at 12:30 am

    @Mello:

    Certain Guars require incorporation in a specific pH range to properly activate, generally around pH 4.0.  At what pH are you incorporating the Guar?

    SCI at 14% should give you a pretty thick shampoo.  You might try switching from CAPB to CocoBetaine to help with thickening.

    Your easiest solution may be to just add 0.5% Xanthan Gum.

    You can also switch from Glyceryl Stearate to Glycol Stearate or Glycol Distearate for opacity and pearlizing … usually adds some to viscosity. 

  • Mello

    Member
    June 7, 2019 at 2:03 pm

    @MarkBroussard 

    I am incorporating the Guar at ph 6.

    Don’t have access cocoBeatine.

  • MarkBroussard

    Member
    June 7, 2019 at 3:03 pm

    Once you disperse the Guar in water, you should take the pH down to the range 3.5 to 5.0 … let it hydrate for an hour or so.  Then proceed.  I suspect your Guar is not fully hydrating may be an issue.

  • Mello

    Member
    June 12, 2019 at 12:18 am

    @MarkBroussard will try that.

  • Dr Catherine Pratt

    Member
    June 12, 2019 at 3:56 am
    @MarkBroussard are you saying you use both the guar and xanthan; or just get rid of the guar and use just Xanthan as the only gum?
    I don’t think it was specified. Might help?
  • MarkBroussard

    Member
    June 12, 2019 at 11:09 am

    You’ll want to properly hydrate the Guar under any circumstances.  But, Yes, my suggestion was to use both Guar and Xanthan if it is not thick enough.  Just make certain you are using a Guar that is compatible with Xanthan.

Log in to reply.

Chemists Corner