Shampoo Formula Causing Hair Tangling: Causes and Solutions

Solving Hair Tangling Issue in Shampoo

Based on your shampoo formula containing Cocamidopropyl Betaine 10%, Lanolin 1.5%, Sodium Coco Sulphate (SCS) 3.5%, thickening powder 5%, and Thai herbal water 80%, the hair tangling issue is primarily caused by:

1. Low Primary Surfactant (SCS) Concentration: Sodium Coco Sulphate (SCS) is your main cleansing agent, and at only 3.5%, it is quite low for a shampoo. This can result in insufficient cleansing, leaving residues (like lanolin or thickener) on the hair, which makes the hair feel sticky and prone to tangling.
2. Potential Residue from Lanolin and Thickener: While Lanolin is conditioning, 1.5% might be too much for a low-cleansing system, leading to buildup. Similarly, 5% thickener is quite high, and depending on the type, could contribute to residue if not properly rinsed or if the surfactant system is weak.
3. Lack of Dedicated Detangling Agents: The formulation lacks ingredients specifically designed to help reduce friction between hair strands and improve combability, such as cationic polymers.

Recommended Solutions

To fix this problem and reduce tangling, I recommend adjusting your formula as follows:

1. Increase the Primary Surfactant (SCS): You should significantly increase the percentage of Sodium Coco Sulphate (SCS) or add another primary anionic surfactant to improve cleansing power. A total active surfactant level of 10-20% or more is more typical for a shampoo.
2. Consider Adjusting Lanolin and Thickener: If increasing the surfactant isn't enough to prevent residue, you might need to slightly reduce the percentage of Lanolin and/or the thickening powder.
3. Add a Detangling Agent (Cationic Polymer): This is a crucial step. Incorporating a cationic polymer like Polyquaternium will deposit onto the hair, neutralize static, reduce friction, and make the hair much easier to comb and less prone to tangling.

Suitable Polyquaternium ingredients you can add to your shampoo to help with detangling include:

• Poly-Conditioner 47 (Polyquaternium-47): Highly compatible with anionic surfactants, provides excellent wet and dry combability and outstanding detangling.
• Poly-Conditioner 30 (Polyquaternium-30): Helps coat the hair softly, reduces static, and improves combability.
• Poly-Conditioner 28 (Polyquaternium-28): Forms a flexible film on hair, provides good lubricity, improves wet combability, and is compatible with various surfactants.

Adjusting your formula by increasing the primary surfactant and adding a Polyquaternium ingredient will help the shampoo cleanse more effectively, reduce residue, and leave the hair feeling smoother, easier to comb, and less tangled.