[Farah]

What kind of concentration is your aloe vera powder? I’ve used xanthan in combination with aloe but I’ve not gone higher than 4% reconstituted aloe juice. Whether your powder is 100X or 200X that will be too many electrolytes for the xanthan to work well at reasonable non-flaking concentrations because the electrolytes affect the viscosity of the gel leading you to have to use way more to thicken effectively. So the first thing I’d do is reduce the aloe and see how that changes your gel’s viscosity. You may find that it becomes too thick for your liking. 

I second cutting xanthan down to 1% and considering using other natural polymers with it. 

I’d double check the pH after cutting some of the aloe. You may find you need to readjust it to the level your hair prefers if you lose some of the aloe’s acidity which might be contributing to the slip you’re enjoying. 

[Farah]

Hello all! 

I’m Farah and I’m based in Canada. I’m a civil engineer by education and trade. My interest in cosmetics was led by my curly hair and my living in various countries where I wasn’t able to find anything that worked well for it. I started my tinkering just over a decade ago and the time I’ve dedicated to it has waxed and waned with whatever else is going in life. As a new mother I’ve been exploring my work options outside the corporate engineering world and that brings me here. I’m on an exploration mission to see if there’s still room in the market, if I have value to add, if I have what it takes, etc. 

I’m a hobbyist kitchen formulator but I have accumulated some insights and knowledge over the years, and I hope to have the opportunity to share them with some of you here. If nothing else, I’m happy to offer insights into ingredients and formulations as a curly haired consumer. I’ve sold some of my products in the past and I’ve had them challenge tested so I’ve dabbled pretty close to the “starting an official business” line but never quite crossed over. 

I love chemistry but haven’t studied it in ages. I look forward to diving back in! And I look forward to learning from the experience and knowledge you all bring!