Liquid Soap Formulation Analysis

This liquid soap formulation uses a combination of gentle surfactants suitable for skin cleansing. Let's break down the ingredients and address your question about the Cond-Foam percentage.

Here's an analysis of the components:

• Cond-Foam (Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate): This is a mild anionic surfactant known for its good foaming properties and conditioning feel on skin and hair. The formulation uses it at 30%. The supplier's recommended usage rate is 5-40%. While 30% is on the higher side of this range, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate is a gentle surfactant, and this concentration contributes significantly to the mildness and conditioning effect of the product.
• Cocamidopropyl Betaine: An amphoteric surfactant that works well with anionic surfactants like Cond-Foam and SulFoam. It helps boost foam, improve foam quality (making it finer and smoother), and reduce the potential for irritation from other surfactants. The 25% used is a common level for a co-surfactant in such systems.
• SulFoam (Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate): Another very gentle anionic surfactant, often used in sulfate-free formulations. At 5%, it adds to the overall mildness and foaming performance.
• Fragrance: Provides scent to the product.
• Flora Solve Clear: A solubilizer used to disperse the fragrance evenly throughout the water-based formula, ensuring clarity and stability. The 4% used provides a 2:1 ratio with the fragrance, which is a typical starting point for solubilization.
• SugarThick (PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate): A plant-derived thickener specifically designed for surfactant systems. It helps increase the viscosity of the liquid soap. The 1% used is at the lower end of the recommended range (1-5%), but the required amount depends on the desired final thickness.
• Microcare PHC (Chlorphenesin / Phenoxyethanol): A preservative blend to protect the product from microbial contamination. The 1% used is within the recommended range (0.6-1.0%). It is effective in a pH range of 4.0-7.0.
• Water: The base of the formulation.

Regarding your question about the Cond-Foam percentage, 30% is within the recommended usage range for Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate. It is a key ingredient contributing to the mildness and conditioning properties. While it's a high concentration, in combination with the other mild surfactants (Cocamidopropyl Betaine and SulFoam), the overall formulation is likely designed to be gentle. Whether it's "too much" depends on the specific performance characteristics you are aiming for and how the final product feels on the skin. If you find the product too drying or feel excessive residue, you might consider slightly reducing Cond-Foam and potentially adjusting other surfactants or adding additional conditioning agents.

Potential Adjustments:

1. Viscosity: If the desired thickness is not achieved with 1% SugarThick, you can gradually increase its percentage (up to 5%) until the desired viscosity is reached.
2. pH: Check the final pH of the formulation. For optimal performance of Cond-Foam's conditioning effect and foam, a pH between 5 and 6 is ideal. The preservative Microcare PHC is effective between pH 4 and 7. Aiming for a pH in the range of 5.5-6.0 would be beneficial for both surfactant performance and preservation. Adjust with a suitable acid (like Citric Acid) or base (like Sodium Hydroxide) if necessary.
3. Fragrance Solubilization: If the fragrance is not fully clear or separates over time, you might need to increase the Flora Solve Clear percentage relative to the fragrance (up to a 5:1 ratio).

Overall, the formulation appears well-structured with a focus on mildness. The percentage of Cond-Foam is high but within the acceptable range for this ingredient, contributing to the product's gentle and conditioning attributes. Fine-tuning the viscosity with SugarThick and ensuring the pH is in the optimal range are recommended steps.