Herbal Shampoo Formulation Advice

Here is some information regarding thickening herbal shampoo to prevent sedimentation and choosing a safe foaming agent:

1. Thickening Shampoo and Preventing Sedimentation

To give your herbal shampoo a good consistency and prevent herbal particles from settling at the bottom, you can use thickening agents. These ingredients help increase the viscosity of the liquid and keep solid particles suspended. Some suitable options include:

• ClearClean™ or ThickClean™: These are Acrylates Crosspolymer type thickeners that work well in shampoo and liquid soap formulas. They are effective at suspending beads or particles, helping to prevent sedimentation. ClearClean™ provides high clarity, while ThickClean™ provides medium clarity.
• EasyThick ™: This is a liquid thickener that is easy to use in shampoo and liquid soap formulas and helps create a clear texture.
• Sepimax Zen: This is a powder thickener that is highly tolerant to salt and varying pH levels, which can be useful when working with herbal extracts.
• CondThix™ SC96: This liquid emulsion thickener (Polyquaternium-37) not only increases viscosity but also provides conditioning benefits to the hair. It's easy to use and works across a wide pH range.

Choosing the right thickener depends on your desired final texture, clarity, and compatibility with your herbal extracts.

2. Safest Foaming Agents

For a safe and gentle foaming agent in your herbal shampoo, look for sulfate-free surfactants. These are less likely to cause irritation compared to traditional sulfates like SLS (Sodium Lauryl Sulfate) or SLES (Sodium Laureth Sulfate). Some gentle and effective options include:

• Creamy Foamer™ (Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate): Known for creating a soft, smooth foam and is considered safe and gentle on the skin, free from Sulfates and Cocamide DEA.
• BabyFoam™ (Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate): A very gentle detergent, often used in baby products, that provides good foam.
• AminoWash™ (Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate): Derived from amino acids, it is very gentle, non-irritating to the eyes, and produces a delicate, creamy foam.
• IseFoam™ (Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate): Another highly gentle detergent that produces good foam.
• SulFoam™ (Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate): A very gentle, sulfate-free option with good foaming action.
• Cond-Foam™ (Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate): Highly gentle with good foaming properties and can also provide a conditioning effect.
• Sulfate-Free Foaming Base or Sulfate-Free No-Tear Foaming Base: These are pre-formulated bases that are gentle and sulfate-free, making it easier to create a safe shampoo. The No-Tear version is specifically designed to be mild to the eyes.

When formulating, you might use one or a combination of these gentle foaming agents to achieve the desired lather and cleansing performance while ensuring mildness.

Remember to always follow recommended usage rates for each ingredient and perform stability testing on your final formulation to ensure the texture remains consistent and sedimentation is prevented over time.