Category: Detergents

No Foam Face Wash

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For educational purposes only. Content reflects personal, non-professional formulation experiments and is not instructional.
No formula or information on this site is intended for commercial use, consumer application, or third-party use.
Accessing this content means you accept all risks and full responsibility for safety, testing, legal compliance, and outcomes.
[Full Legal Disclaimer & Safety Requirements]

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Lab Note: My “No-Foam” Gentle Face Wash

Hello Hello! :D This recipe is very special to me. For two years, I struggled with a constant, annoying form of acne. I was doing everything “right” according to the commercials—scrubbing like crazy, using alcoholic toners, and applying aggressive creams. Nothing worked!

Then, I finally decided to give my skin a break. I stopped the aggression and started treating my skin with respect. This face wash was a huge part of that. It doesn’t make a big foam, and it doesn’t leave your skin feeling “squeaky” (which usually just means “stripped!“), but it cleans perfectly.

The “Why” behind the formula:

I wanted a very delicate ASM of only 6.5%. Most shampoos are 15%, so you can see how much gentler this is! I also used a “Trio” of surfactants to keep it balanced:

  • Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate: My primary surfactant. It’s so much softer than SLES!

  • Cocamidopropyl Betaine: Added specifically to make the first one even milder.

  • Lauryl Glucoside: A non-ionic touch to keep everything stable.

The Formula:

Phase A:

  • Water to 100

  • Glycerin 3

  • Xanthan Gum 0.5 (I add this because Sarcosinate loves to become as liquid as water! This gives it a little “body” so it doesn’t slip through your fingers.)

  • Preservative (Water-soluble!)

Phase B:

  • Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate – 10

  • Lauryl Glucoside – 2 (It’s a dense paste, so microwave it for a few seconds first! :D)

  • Lavender EO – 2 drops

  • Sage EO – 2 drops (I love these for acne-prone skin because they are so soothing.)

Phase C:

  • Cocamidopropyl Betaine – 6

  • Lactic Acid (To reach pH 5—this is the secret to making it dense!)

Notes from the Beaker:

  1. Mixing with Love: I mixed everything very slowly with a spoon. If you mix too fast, you get a beaker full of bubbles and you’ll have to wait ages for them to go away!

  2. The pH Secret: This is the most important part! You must lower the pH to 5 using Lactic or Citric acid. One drop at a time! When you hit pH 5, the Sarcosinate suddenly becomes dense and “creamy.” If you go lower than 5, it might go liquid again, so be careful! 😉

  3. The Order: I add the Betaine (Phase C) at the very end. Sometimes adding it too early makes the whole thing “melt” into a liquid mess.

  4. A Touch of Color: I added one tiny drop of blue food coloring just to make it look pretty and fun in my bathroom.

Final Verdict: This face wash doesn’t “shout,” but it works. It leaves my skin calm, hydrated, and happy. If you are tired of aggressive products, give this a try! ENJOY! 🙂

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How to Formulate a Solid Shampoo

LAB NOTES & SAFETY NOTICE
For educational purposes only. Content reflects personal, non-professional formulation experiments and is not instructional.
No formula or information on this site is intended for commercial use, consumer application, or third-party use.
Accessing this content means you accept all risks and full responsibility for safety, testing, legal compliance, and outcomes.
[Full Legal Disclaimer & Safety Requirements]

Hello everyone! 🙂

Today I talk about how to formulate a Solid Shampoo.

Solid Shampoo (10)

Solid-State Detergent Theory (The Syndet Bar)

In this experimental session, I documented the formulation of a Solid Shampoo Bar. It is crucial to categorize this product as a Syndette, not a soap. While traditional soaps are produced through saponification, a Syndet is engineered using concentrated surfactants. My research objective was to manage the “Active Surfactant Matter” (ASM) to create a product that is both structurally solid and dermatologically mild.

The Formulation Challenge: Aggression vs. Concentration

A solid shampoo typically contains a massive surfactant load (55%–85%). While this makes the bar highly effective and travel-friendly, it presents two major hurdles for the formulator:

  1. Production Cost: The raw material cost of concentrated surfactants is significantly higher than the fats used in soap-making.
  2. Potential Irritancy: With such high active matter, the risk of skin aggression is extreme.

The Technical Strategy: Surfactant “Taming”

To mitigate the aggression of the ionic surfactants, I utilized two sophisticated strategies in my lab:

  • Complexation: Instead of a single surfactant, I created a “cocktail” of SLSA, SCI, and SCS. Mixing different surfactant head-groups creates smaller, milder micelles.
  • Incompatibility Theory: I intentionally introduced a Cationic Surfactant (Behentrimonium Chloride) into an Anionic system. While these are technically “incompatible,” the resulting interaction in a solid state significantly reduces the harshness of the wash.

Experimental Formula: Case Study #SYNDET-BAR-01

PhaseComponent% / gramsFunction
ASLSA / SCI / SCS35.0 / 10.0 / 10.0Primary Powder Surfactants
ACocamidopropyl Betaine20.0Amphoteric “Buffer” (Liquid)
BCocoa Butter / Argan Oil7.0 / 3.0Lipid Refatting Agents
BBehentrimonium Chloride10.0Cationic Conditioning Agent
BCetearyl Alcohol3.0Structural Rheology Modifier
CFragrance Oil / Preservative1.5 / 0.5Aesthetics & Protection

Processing & Thermal Observations

  1. The Melting Challenge: Melting pure powder surfactants is an arduous process. I’ve documented that the water content in the Cocamidopropyl Betaine (Phase A) acts as a necessary solvent to facilitate the transition to a paste.
  2. Phase B Integration: I melted the butters, cationic conditioner, and cetearyl alcohol together. For future batches, I would recommend melting Phase B separately before adding it to the surfactant “cauldron” to ensure a smoother homogenization and a faster workflow.
  3. Thermal Sensitivity: The “soapy paste” was allowed to cool to 35°C before integrating the fragrance and preservative to ensure their efficacy wasn’t compromised by the heat required to melt the SCI.
  4. Setting & Curing: I utilized a Freezer-Set method for quick unmolding. However, I’ve noted that a 48-hour “drying” or curing period is required at room temperature to allow the bar to reach its final structural hardness.

Researcher Summary & Sensory Evaluation

The final bar exhibited excellent “wetting” ability and produced a sophisticated, dense lather of small bubbles.

Critical Refinement: Despite the high surfactant load, the 10% lipid phase (butters/oils) resulted in a slightly “waxy” after-feel on the hair. In my next experimental iteration, I will reduce the total lipid load to 5-7% to increase the “cleansing clarity” of the formula while maintaining enough emollience to keep the bar mild.

No-Drandruff Shampoo

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For educational purposes only. Content reflects personal, non-professional formulation experiments and is not instructional.
No formula or information on this site is intended for commercial use, consumer application, or third-party use.
Accessing this content means you accept all risks and full responsibility for safety, testing, legal compliance, and outcomes.
[Full Legal Disclaimer & Safety Requirements]

No-dandruff Shampoo 8

Lab Note: My “No Dandruff” Scalp-Calming Shampoo

Hello Hello! 😀 Today I am tackling something that is usually so annoying to deal with: dandruff! I got tired of the shampoos from the supermarket because they are so aggressive—they might kill the fungus, but they leave the scalp red and the hair feeling like straw. No thanks! 😛

I wanted to make a “Smart Shampoo.” Something that uses a real antifungal active but surrounds it with ingredients that actually soothe the skin and protect the hair.

The “Clear Scalp” Strategy:

The hero of my formula is Piroctone Olamine. Unlike the “Zinc” stuff you find in cheap shampoos, Piroctone Olamine is much more elegant—it’s very effective against the Malassezia fungus but it’s gentle. I also added Salicylic Acid to help “sweep away” the dead skin cells so the scalp can breathe again!

The Formula for my Experiment:

Phase A:

  • Water to 100

  • Glycerin 2

  • Polyquaternium-10 – 0.3 (This is a “conditioning” polymer—it helps the hair stay smooth even in a treatment shampoo!)

Phase B (The Cleansing Base):

  • Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate – 15 (My favorite “soft” surfactant!)

  • Cocamidopropyl Betaine – 10

  • Coco-Glucoside – 5

  • Piroctone Olamine – 0.5 (The antifungal powerhouse!)

Phase C (The Calming Touch):

  • Salicylic Acid – 0.5 (I pre-dissolved this in the surfactants to make sure it didn’t stay “gritty”!)

  • Panthenol – 1 (To soothe the itchy scalp)

  • Preservative (According to my lab’s type)

  • Fragrance (I used Tea Tree and Lavender—Tea Tree helps the “No Dandruff” mission, and Lavender makes it smell like a spa! :D)

  • Lactic Acid (To reach pH 5.5)

Notes from my Beaker:

  1. The Dissolving Trick: Piroctone Olamine and Salicylic Acid can be a bit stubborn. I found that if I mix them into the surfactant blend (Phase B) before adding the water, they dissolve much more easily. No one wants “grains” in their shampoo!

  2. The pH is Critical: For Piroctone Olamine to be happy and stable, the pH needs to be around 5.5. If you go too low or too high, it might not work as well.

  3. The Color: I left this one clear because I love how clean it looks. Without all the “fake blue” dyes of commercial shampoos, it looks so much more professional.

  4. How I used it: Since this has an active medicine in it, I don’t just rinse it off immediately. I leave it on my scalp for about 3 minutes while I sing a song, then rinse! yeheee! 😀

Final Verdict: I don’t suffer of dandruff much but of itchiness sometimes I do, and this helped a lot 🙂

No-dandruff Shampoo 6

No SLES Shampoo DIY

LAB NOTES & SAFETY NOTICE
For educational purposes only. Content reflects personal, non-professional formulation experiments and is not instructional.
No formula or information on this site is intended for commercial use, consumer application, or third-party use.
Accessing this content means you accept all risks and full responsibility for safety, testing, legal compliance, and outcomes.
[Full Legal Disclaimer & Safety Requirements]

No Sles Shampoo

Non-Ionic Formulation — Glucoside-Based Scalp Therapy

In this session, I documented a SLES-Free (Sodium Laureth Sulfate-Free) shampoo. While SLES is a gold standard for wetting and foaming performance, it can be overly aggressive for certain scalp conditions or thinning hair. My research objective was to design a formula using Alkyl Polyglucosides (APGs) to prioritize scalp health and minimize irritation.

The Technical Rationale

  1. Surfactant Selection (The APG Blend): I utilized a combination of Lauryl, Decyl, and Coco Glucoside. These are non-ionic surfactants derived from renewable raw materials (sugar and fatty alcohols).
    • Mechanism: APGs are known for being exceptionally mild and readily biodegradable. However, they lack the “detangling” slip of anionics, which I addressed by integrating conditioning agents.
  2. Volumizing & Conditioning: * Epsom Salts (Magnesium Sulfate): Included at 1% to provide “body” and volume to the hair fibers.
    • Polyquaternium-7 (1%): A cationic conditioning polymer. This is a critical addition to a glucoside shampoo; it provides the necessary “slip” and prevents the “nesting” or tangling effect often associated with sulfate-free formulas.
  3. Protein Integration: Hydrolyzed Keratin (0.4%) was added to the aqueous phase to help temporarily reinforce the hair cuticle.

Experimental Formula: Case Study #GLUCO-MILD

Phase Component % / grams Function
A Distilled Water to 100 Solvent
A Glycerin 2.0 Humectant
A Magnesium Sulfate (Epsom Salts) 1.0 Volumizing Agent
A Hydrolyzed Keratin 0.4 Structural Protein
B Lauryl Glucoside 10.0 Primary Non-Ionic Surfactant
B Decyl Glucoside 6.0 Co-Surfactant
B Coco Glucoside & Glyceryl Oleate 3.0 Lipid Layer Enhancer
C Cocamidopropyl Betaine 10.0 Amphoteric “Buffer”
C Polyquaternium-7 1.0 Cationic Conditioner
C Preservative & Fragrance 1.0 / 0.5 Protection & Aesthetic

Processing & Rheological Observations

  1. Aqueous Preparation: Epsom salts and Keratin were dissolved in the water-glycerin base. The amber tint of the solution is a natural characteristic of the protein content.
  2. Thermal Processing of Lauryl Glucoside: Lauryl Glucoside is often a semi-solid paste at room temperature. In my lab, I’ve noted that Phase B must be heated gently (approx. 40°C) to achieve a clear, liquid state before integration.
  3. Viscosity Challenges: This formula results in a low-viscosity, liquid shampoo. While many formulators attempt to thicken APG systems with salt, glucosides do not respond to “Salt-Thickening” the same way SLES does. I chose to keep the viscosity low to facilitate easier spreading across the scalp.
  4. pH Calibration: The system was adjusted to pH 5.0. This is slightly more acidic than the skin’s average, which helps “close” the hair cuticle and enhance shine.

Researcher Summary

I liked this formula for scalp itchiness or sensitivity to traditional anionic surfactants. While the sensory experience differs from SLES—producing a different lather profile and requiring more effort to detangle.

No Sles Shampoo 1

No Sles Shampoo 2

No Sles Shampoo 3

No Sles Shampoo 4

No Sles Shampoo 5

No Sles Shampoo 6

Can you recognize a good Shampoo pt.4

LAB NOTES & SAFETY NOTICE
For educational purposes only. Content reflects personal, non-professional formulation experiments and is not instructional.
No formula or information on this site is intended for commercial use, consumer application, or third-party use.
Accessing this content means you accept all risks and full responsibility for safety, testing, legal compliance, and outcomes.
[Full Legal Disclaimer & Safety Requirements]

Hello there! 😀

This is finally the last chapter of our “Recognizing a good Shampoo” topic.
We have learnt the basics of shampoo surfactants in the part 1 and part 2 and in the last post (which you can find here) we talked about the most common “extra ingredients”.
I know I haven’t covered all the possible things but I did what I could 😀

Can you recognize a good Shampoo pt 4

Today I just want to briefly talk about those “useful” ingredients which we find in our shampoos, meaning those ingredients which should (at least theoretically) make a difference! 😉

– Panthenol – It derives from Vitamin B5. A famous shampoo brand made a huge campaign on their shampoos because they contain this vitamin. Yes, it is supposed to have good effect on hair and scalp, it is an humectant and it helps retain the water. It also creates a light “film” on the hair protecting them from damage. 
However, in a product like a shampoo, which we wash off after few seconds from having applied it, it might not be that effective and therefore if you find it in a shampoo it is very probably in minimal amount, just to look good in the ingredient’s list. 😉

KEEP ON READING

How to formulate a Face Wash – with Recipe

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These are personal experiments for educational use only— not instructions and not for commercial or consumer use. By proceeding, you assume all risks related to safety, testing, and regulatory compliance.
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DIY Face Wash - Recipe

Surfactant Synergy & Low-ASM Cleansing Theory

In this experimental session, I documented a highly delicate facial cleanser. The research objective was to achieve a balanced “Surfactant Trio” (Anionic, Amphoteric, and Non-Ionic) at a total concentration low enough to respect a compromised skin barrier, specifically for my skin prone to irritation-induced acne.

1. The ASM Calculation & Surfactant Rational

To ensure the formula remained “extra-mild,” I targeted an ASM of 6.5%. Most commercial face washes range from 10–15%, making this formulation significantly gentler.

  • Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate (Anionic): Chosen as the primary surfactant for its creamy lather and because it is significantly milder than SLES or SLS.

  • Cocamidopropyl Betaine (Amphoteric): Included to “buffer” the anionic surfactant, reducing its potential for skin penetration and irritation.

  • Lauryl Glucoside (Non-Ionic): Added to complete the trio. Non-ionics are excellent for removing oily residues while maintaining a very low irritation profile.

ASM Formula Applied:

  • Sarcosinate: $10\% \times 0.29 = 2.9$

  • Betaine: $6\% \times 0.32 = 1.92$

  • Lauryl Glucoside: $3\% \times 0.52 = 1.56$

  • Total ASM: $6.38\%$ (Validated against the 6.5% target).

Experimental Formula: Case Study #RESET-WASH-01

Phase Component % / grams Function
A Distilled Water to 100 Solvent
A Glycerin 3.0 Humectant
A Xanthan Gum 0.5 Thickener / Suspension
B Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate 10.0 Primary Mild Anionic
B Lauryl Glucoside 3.0 Non-Ionic Detergent
B Lavender & Sage EOs 4 drops Soothing / Antimicrobial
C Cocamidopropyl Betaine 6.0 Amphoteric Buffer
C Preservative & Lactic Acid q.s. Safety / pH Calibration

Processing Observations: Rheology & pH Dependency

  1. Gelling the Aqueous Phase: Because Sarcosinate-based systems are notoriously difficult to thicken, 0.5% Xanthan Gum was utilized. This ensures the cleanser has enough “body” to be handled easily without running off the hands.

  2. Thermal Management: Lauryl Glucoside often presents as a paste at room temperature. A brief thermal application (microwave/water bath) was required to liquefy it before integration with the Sarcosinate to prevent “fish-eyes” or lumps.

  3. The “Slow-Mix” Protocol: To avoid excessive aeration (bubbles), Phases A and B were combined using a manual stirring motion rather than high-shear.

  4. pH Calibration (The Viscosity Trigger): Sarcosinate systems are highly sensitive to pH.

    • Observation: The pH was lowered to 5.0 using Lactic Acid. At this specific acidic point, the Sarcosinate reaches its optimal density.

    • Critical Note: If the pH drops significantly below 5.0, the Sarcosinate can lose its structure entirely, resulting in a liquid failure.

Researcher Summary

This face wash represents the “Less is More” philosophy. By stripping away aggressive alcohol and harsh scrubs, and replacing them with a low-ASM surfactant blend, the skin is allowed some space. The Lavender and Sage essential oils MIGHT provide a mild antimicrobial benefit without the irritation caused by synthetic acne treatments.

Personal Observation: This formula was the turning point in my personal acne journey. It confirms that “cleaning” the skin should not mean “stripping” the skin.

DIY face wash