Shampoo Formula Adjustment Recommendations

Thank you for sharing your shampoo formula and feedback. It's great that you've created a formula that doesn't irritate your scalp! Based on your experience with hair tangling, stiffness, easy odor development, and needing two washes, here are some recommendations to adjust your formula:

Analysis of Your Current Formula

Your current formula uses a good sulfate-free base and Cocamidopropyl Betaine for cleansing, along with Cetrimonium Chloride for conditioning. The issues you're experiencing suggest that the level of conditioning might be insufficient for your hair type, and the cleansing power or residue left behind could be contributing to the odor and the need for a second wash.

• Tangling and Stiffness: Cetrimonium Chloride is a conditioning agent, but at 2% of the product (which is 0.6% active ingredient, as CTAC is typically 30% active), it might not provide enough conditioning for sufficient detangling and softness, especially in a shampoo that is rinsed off.
• Easy Odor / Needs Two Washes: This could be due to a few factors: the overall cleansing efficacy for your specific needs, or potentially residue left on the hair and scalp. The high total percentage of fragrance components (Fragrance + Last Fix™ = 4.5%) could also contribute to residue or not effectively masking/neutralizing the underlying odor cause.

Proposed Revised Formula

Here is a suggested adjustment to your formula to address these points:

• Sulfate Free Shampoo Base: 20%
• Cocamidopropyl Betaine: 8% (Slightly reduced to balance cleansing and potentially improve rinse-off)
• Cetrimonium Chloride (CTAC): 3% (Increased from 2% to provide better conditioning, detangling, and softness)
• Mild Preserved Eco™: 1%
• Ethoxydiglycol: 1%
• SugarThick™: 2%
• Beach Garden + Bescents L (Linalool): 1.5%
• Last Fix™: 1.5% (Reduced from 3% to minimize potential residue while still providing scent longevity)
• Odor-Kill DO™: 0.5% (Replaced Citromask™ 1% - This ingredient is specifically noted for its effectiveness against odor-causing bacteria, which is often the root cause of scalp odor)
• Water: 61.5% (Adjusted to reach 100%)

Total: 100%

Explanation of Changes:

1. Increased Cetrimonium Chloride: Boosting this conditioning agent should significantly improve hair's manageability, reduce tangling, and leave it feeling softer after washing.
2. Adjusted Surfactants: A slight reduction in Cocamidopropyl Betaine helps balance the formula. The primary cleansing still comes from the Sulfate Free Shampoo Base.
3. Reduced Last Fix™: While Last Fix™ helps fragrance longevity, a high amount can sometimes feel heavy or leave residue. Reducing it helps ensure the shampoo rinses cleanly.
4. Switched Odor Control: Odor-Kill DO™ contains Octenidine HCl, which is known for its efficacy against bacteria that cause odor. This may be more effective at preventing scalp odor compared to a general deodorizer like Citromask™.

Alternative Conditioning Agent

If you find you need even more conditioning or a different feel, you could consider using a Polyquaternium ingredient instead of or in addition to Cetrimonium Chloride. For example, Poly-Conditioner 47 is compatible with anionic surfactants (like those in your base) and is excellent for detangling and improving both wet and dry combability.

Next Steps

Try making a small batch with the revised formula to see if it addresses the tangling, stiffness, and odor issues. You can adjust the percentages slightly based on your results, particularly the conditioning agent and the odor control agent, within their recommended usage rates.