Shampoo Formula Review and Recommendations

Here is a review of your shampoo formula and answers to your questions, based on the ingredients and the discussion:

1. Ingredient Amounts

The percentages of the ingredients in your formula are generally within typical usage ranges for shampoo, but some adjustments and considerations are needed:

• Lauryl Glucoside (5%) and Coco Wash™ (5%): The total surfactant concentration (10%) is a good starting point for gentle cleansing. As the staff mentioned, you might need to adjust this amount based on how well it cleans your oily scalp. If needed, you could slightly increase the total surfactant percentage or consider replacing Coco Wash™ with Coco-Betaine, which offers better cleaning efficiency while still being mild.
• SugarThick™ (1%): This is a suitable amount for thickening the formula and is compatible with your chosen surfactants. It helps create a pleasant gel texture.
• Panthenol (Vitamin B5) (0.5%): This amount is within the recommended range for shampoo (0.1-0.5%) and provides moisturizing benefits to the hair.
• Hydroprotein (3%): The 3% concentration of Hydrolyzed Protein (such as Hydrolyzed Silk Protein, Hydrolyzed Pea Protein, or Hair Wheat Protein) is within the typical usage range (0.1-5%) and is beneficial for strengthening and conditioning the hair, helping with frizz.
• Natural Moisturizing Amino Acid (0.5%): This is within the recommended range for leave-on hair products (0.5-1%) and provides excellent moisture retention for the hair.
• Water (85%): This is the base of your formula.

Important Note: As the staff correctly pointed out, Lauryl Glucoside has a high pH (around 11.5). You must adjust the final pH of your shampoo down to the optimal range for hair and scalp (pH 5-7, ideally around 5.5-6.5) using Citric Acid. Failing to do so can cause irritation.

2. Suitability for Your Hair Type

This formula has potential to work for your hair type (dry, fine, frizzy ends, oily scalp) with some considerations:

• Oily Scalp: The initial surfactant level (10%) is mild. You will need to test if it provides sufficient cleaning for your oily scalp. If not, increasing the total surfactant or using Coco-Betaine instead of Coco Wash™ could improve cleansing power.
• Dry, Fine, Frizzy Ends: The Panthenol, Hydroprotein, and Natural Moisturizing Amino Acids are excellent additions for moisturizing and conditioning the hair shaft and ends, which should help with dryness and frizz. These ingredients help to hydrate and strengthen the hair.
• Conditioning: For fine hair prone to frizz and tangling, adding a conditioning agent is beneficial. The staff recommended SiliWater™ (PEG/PPG-20/15 Dimethicone) as a water-soluble silicone that conditions without heavy build-up, which is good for fine hair and an oily scalp. Cetrimonium Chloride is another conditioning agent (cationic surfactant) that reduces static and helps with smoothness and manageability, but it is a different type of conditioner. As mentioned in the replies, you could try one first or use a combination. GuarCat™ Clear is another cationic polymer that can provide conditioning and thickening.

Overall, the formula contains good moisturizing and conditioning ingredients for the dry/frizzy aspects, but you may need to fine-tune the cleansing power for the oily scalp.

3. Adding Olive Oil

Adding pure Olive Oil (Extra Virgin) directly to this water-based shampoo formula is not recommended because oil and water do not mix without an emulsifier. It will separate.

• If you want to incorporate oil into a shampoo, you would typically need a specific type of ingredient to make it compatible, such as ClearClean™ as mentioned in the replies, which helps suspend oils and particles in a clear shampoo base. However, even with a suspending agent, adding a significant amount of pure oil might affect the cleansing performance and potentially contribute to scalp oiliness or residue, especially for an already oily scalp.
• Another option is to use a water-soluble oil derivative like Olive Oil Water (Olive Oil PEG-7 Esters), which is designed to mix with water-based formulas and provide emolliency without separation.
• Furthermore, as user C7 pointed out, natural oils like pure Olive Oil can become rancid over time, especially in a water-based product, which could affect the stability and shelf life of your shampoo, particularly if you plan to make a large batch or sell it.

For a shampoo aimed at an oily scalp, adding pure oil might counteract the cleansing efforts. If you want the conditioning benefits of olive oil, consider using a hair treatment or conditioner separately, or explore water-soluble oil derivatives suitable for shampoos.

In summary, while the base formula is a good starting point, remember to adjust the pH and consider adding a conditioning agent like SiliWater™ or Cetrimonium Chloride to address the frizz and manageability of fine hair. Adding pure olive oil directly is not advisable due to mixing and stability issues; consider alternatives if you wish to incorporate olive oil benefits.