How to Make Tar Shampoo

Okay, I have reviewed the information for Coal Tar Solution and the other ingredients you mentioned. It seems the key is in the mixing method, as Coal Tar Solution is meant to be dispersed in surfactant, not necessarily dissolved. The clumping you experienced indicates that the dispersion wasn't successful.

Here are the recommended steps for mixing Coal Tar Solution into your shampoo formulations:

The general principle is to first disperse the Coal Tar Solution thoroughly into the surfactant component(s) before adding water. This helps to stabilize the dispersion and prevent clumping.

Scenario 1: Using Sulfate Free Shampoo Base + Water

The Sulfate Free Shampoo Base already contains a blend of surfactants. You should disperse the Coal Tar Solution directly into this base.

1. Prepare the Base: Measure out the required amount of Sulfate Free Shampoo Base.
2. Add Coal Tar Solution: Add the desired percentage of Coal Tar Solution to the Sulfate Free Shampoo Base.
3. Disperse Thoroughly: Mix the Coal Tar Solution into the base. Stir or blend gently but thoroughly until the Coal Tar Solution is evenly dispersed and there are no visible clumps or streaks. Ensure the mixture is homogeneous.
4. Add Water: Once the Coal Tar Solution is fully dispersed in the base, slowly add the required amount of water while stirring gently to avoid excessive foaming.
5. Final Mixing: Continue stirring until the shampoo is uniform.
6. Add Other Ingredients (Optional): If adding other ingredients like preservatives, fragrances, or thickeners (like salt, as mentioned in the Sulfate Free Shampoo Base description), add them after the water and mix well.
7. Check pH: The Sulfate Free Shampoo Base has a pH of 6.5-7.5. Coal Tar Solution is typically used in formulas with a slightly acidic pH (around 5-6) for scalp health. You may need to adjust the final pH using a suitable acid like Citric Acid or Lactic Acid if necessary, checking with pH paper or meter.

Scenario 2: Using Clarify Wash, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, and Lauryl Glucoside

In this scenario, you are mixing individual surfactants. It's best to blend the surfactants first, then disperse the Coal Tar Solution into the blend.

1. Blend Surfactants: Combine the required amounts of Clarify Wash, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, and Lauryl Glucoside. Mix them together until you have a uniform surfactant blend. Note that Lauryl Glucoside can be viscous; warming it slightly (to 50-60°C) before mixing can help if needed.
2. Add Coal Tar Solution: Add the desired percentage of Coal Tar Solution to the blended surfactants.
3. Disperse Thoroughly: Mix the Coal Tar Solution into the surfactant blend. Stir or blend thoroughly to ensure the Coal Tar Solution is evenly dispersed with no clumps.
4. Add Water: Slowly add the required amount of water to the surfactant/Coal Tar mixture while stirring gently.
5. Final Mixing: Continue stirring until the shampoo is uniform.
6. Add Other Ingredients (Optional): Add any other ingredients like preservatives, fragrances, or thickeners (like salt, SugarThick, Xanthan Gum, or EasyThick as suggested for Clarify Wash and Lauryl Glucoside) and mix well.
7. Adjust pH: Clarify Wash and Lauryl Glucoside have high pH values. It is crucial to adjust the final pH of the shampoo to the range of 5-6 using Citric Acid or Lactic Acid to ensure gentleness on the scalp.

Key Tip for Dispersion: When dispersing the Coal Tar Solution into the surfactant(s) or base, start with a small amount of surfactant/base and the full amount of Coal Tar Solution to create a concentrated dispersion first, then incorporate this concentrated mixture into the rest of the surfactant/base before adding water. Ensure thorough mixing at each step.

I hope these detailed steps help you successfully create your tar shampoo!