Shampoo Formulation Issues: Precipitation and Hair Stiffness

Question

I am formulating a shampoo using natural extracts, specifically Kaffir Lime and Butterfly Pea. I encountered two main issues:

The natural extracts precipitate in the formula.
The shampoo causes hair to feel stiff and tangled during washing.

I initially included WaterLock (Polyquaternium-51) at 0.5% for moisturizing. The staff recommended replacing it with Guar Cationic or SiliWater™ to address the stiffness. Could you provide further advice on resolving these issues and confirm if replacing WaterLock with Guar Cationic or SiliWater™ is the correct approach for improving hair feel?

MySkinRecipes Expert · Accepted Answer

Subject: Additional Advice on Shampoo Formulation

Thank you for your question and for providing your formula and the issues you're facing.

Regarding the issues you mentioned:

Precipitation of Natural Extracts (Kaffir Lime and Butterfly Pea): As the staff mentioned, precipitation of natural extracts can occur due to various factors like concentration, compatibility with other ingredients, pH, or storage conditions. It is best to contact the supplier of the extracts directly to inquire about their stability, recommended usage, and potential ways to improve solubility or stability in your specific formulation. They may be able to provide guidance or suggest alternative forms of the extract.
Hair Stiffness and Tangling During Washing: This is a common issue in shampoo formulations that lack sufficient conditioning agents. Surfactants, while effective at cleaning, can sometimes strip the hair's natural oils and leave the cuticle rough, leading to friction, stiffness, and tangling, especially when wet.

The staff's recommendation to add Guar Cationic (GuarCat™) (Product ID 186) or SiliWater™ (Water-soluble Silicone) (Product ID 525) is a good approach. These ingredients are specifically designed to provide conditioning benefits in shampoo:
- Guar Cationic: This is a cationic polymer. Hair naturally carries a slight negative charge, especially when damaged. Cationic polymers are positively charged and are attracted to the hair shaft, depositing a thin film that smooths the cuticle, reduces friction, and improves wet and dry combability, significantly reducing stiffness and tangling.
- SiliWater™: This is a water-soluble silicone. Silicones can coat the hair surface, providing a smooth feel, shine, and reducing inter-fiber friction. Water-soluble silicones are easier to rinse out compared to traditional non-soluble silicones, making them suitable for shampoos.
Replacing WaterLock (Product ID 258) with one of these ingredients, as suggested, is reasonable because WaterLock (Polyquaternium-51) is primarily known for its skin moisturizing properties by mimicking cell membranes, and is less effective as a hair detangler compared to cationic polymers or silicones commonly used in hair care.

Usage Recommendation: The typical usage rate for Guar Cationic in shampoo is often around 0.1-0.5%, depending on the specific grade and desired conditioning level. For SiliWater™, typical rates can vary, often in the range of 0.5-3%. You should check the specific product specifications and recommended usage rates provided by the supplier for Guar Cationic (Product ID 186) or SiliWater™ (Product ID 525) to determine the appropriate amount to add to your formula. You would adjust the DI water percentage accordingly to accommodate the addition.

By incorporating a suitable conditioning agent like Guar Cationic or SiliWater™, you should find that your shampoo provides a much smoother feel during washing and significantly reduces tangling.