Formulation Advice for Shampoo and Leave-on Conditioner

Thank you for your questions regarding your shampoo and leave-on conditioner formulations. Based on your inquiries and the previous advice, here are some recommendations:

Shampoo Formulation

You've encountered issues with stiffness, chemical smell, viscosity, Zinc Pyrithione settling, hand dryness, and foam in your shampoo formula, and are aiming for a clear product.

• Softness and Hand Dryness: To reduce stiffness and hand dryness, consider adding hair conditioning ingredients. Polyquaternium polymers are effective for this purpose.
• Chemical Smell and Fragrance: To mask the chemical smell, you can use Citromask. You can also add fragrance or essential oil for scent. As previously advised, using Citromask might slightly reduce the intensity of the fragrance. Start with a lower percentage of fragrance (e.g., 1%) and adjust as needed, keeping in mind that higher concentrations can increase the risk of skin irritation.
• Viscosity and Zinc Settling: You are using SugarThick for viscosity. While increasing its concentration can help improve the suspension of Zinc Pyrithione, it's important to note that Zinc Pyrithione is insoluble and will prevent the shampoo from being clear. It will always result in a cloudy or opaque product, and settling may still occur over time, although a higher concentration of thickener will help keep it suspended longer. If a clear shampoo is essential, you would need to use a different anti-dandruff ingredient that is soluble.
• Foam: The current combination of Lauryl Glucoside and Cocamidopropyl Betaine provides lower foam compared to other surfactants. If you desire more foam, you may need to adjust the surfactant system by using different or additional foaming agents.
• pH Level: The recommended pH range for shampoo is 5-6, which is suitable for your formulation.
• Mixing Order: A general mixing order for shampoo is to combine water and water-soluble ingredients first, then add surfactants, followed by thickeners, active ingredients (like Piroctone Olamine and Zinc Pyrithione, ensuring they are properly dispersed), fragrance/essential oil (solubilized if necessary, e.g., with Flora Solve Clear), and finally the preservative. Adjust pH as needed at the end.

Leave-on Conditioner Formulation

You are working on a leave-on conditioner focused on conditioning and detangling, planning to include Pro B5, Pure Keratin, Silicone Hi Cond, CETAC, Phenoxyethanol, Biotin, Essential oil, FloraSolve Clear, Glossy Wax, DI Water, add Safe B3, and remove Butter Cream Maker.

• Conditioning and Detangling: The ingredients you have chosen, such as Pro B5, Pure Keratin, Silicone Hi Cond, CETAC, and Glossy Wax, are beneficial for hair conditioning and detangling, helping to reduce stiffness and improve manageability. Adding Safe B3 is also suitable for providing benefits to the hair and scalp in a leave-on product.
• Butter Cream Maker: Removing Butter Cream Maker is acceptable based on your desired formulation characteristics.
• pH Level: The recommended pH range for leave-on hair products is also 5-6.
• Mixing Order: For a leave-on conditioner, a typical mixing order involves combining water and water-soluble ingredients (like Pro B5, Safe B3, Biotin), then adding conditioning agents (like CETAC, Pure Keratin), followed by Silicone Hi Cond, Glossy Wax, FloraSolve Clear (to help incorporate essential oil), essential oil, and Phenoxyethanol. Ensure each ingredient is fully incorporated before adding the next. Adjust pH as needed at the end.
• Formula Percentage: Remember to ensure all ingredient percentages, including DI Water, add up to 100%.

We hope this detailed guidance helps you refine your formulations!