Analysis of Your Shampoo Formulation

It appears the main reason your shampoo formulation turned out very thick and lost its foaming ability is the high concentration of conditioning ingredients, specifically Poly-Conditioner Pro (400 mPa.s) and WaterLock™ (Polyquaternium-51), relative to the Sulfate Free Shampoo Base.

• Poly-Conditioner Pro (400 mPa.s) (Polyquaternium-10) is a conditioning polymer that also acts as a thickener. You used it at 3%, which is significantly higher than the recommended usage rate of 0.2-0.5%. This high percentage is the primary cause of the excessive viscosity.
• WaterLock™ (Polyquaternium-51) also provides conditioning and slip, contributing to the thick, conditioner-like texture.
• The Fractionated Coconut Oil is an oil, and oils can also reduce the foaming capacity of a shampoo base.

When you added the Poly-Conditioner Pro to the mixture and blended, it thickened as expected, but the high concentration resulted in a very thick, almost solid consistency. Adding more water helped dilute it and reduce the viscosity, but it couldn't fully restore the foaming action because the conditioning polymers and oil are still present and interfering with the surfactants in the shampoo base.

Recommendations

For Your Current Batch:

It will be difficult to fully restore the foaming and texture of the current batch. It is best suited for use as a very conditioning shampoo or potentially a co-wash. You could also try mixing a small amount of this batch with a more standard foaming shampoo during use.

For a New Batch (Revised Formula):

To achieve a texture closer to a conditioning shampoo with better foaming, you need to adjust the percentages of the conditioning ingredients and oil relative to the shampoo base. Here is a suggested revised formula:

• Sulfate Free Shampoo Base: 35-40%
• Poly-Conditioner Pro (400 mPa.s): 0.5% (Reduce significantly)
• WaterLock™ (Polyquaternium-51): 1%
• Sandalore: 3%
• Fractionated Coconut Oil: 1% (Reduce slightly)
• Mild Preserved Eco™: 1%
• Aqua: Balance to 100% (approx. 53.5% - 58.5%)

Suggested Mixing Method for Revised Formula:

1. Heat the water to around 65°C.
2. Gently sprinkle the Poly-Conditioner Pro (400 mPa.s) powder into the heated water while stirring continuously until it is fully dissolved and the solution is clear. Using heat helps with dissolution.
3. In a separate container, combine the Sulfate Free Shampoo Base and WaterLock™. Stir gently to combine.
4. Slowly add the dissolved Poly-Conditioner Pro and water mixture to the shampoo base and WaterLock™ mixture while stirring gently. Avoid vigorous mixing to minimize bubble formation.
5. Add the Fractionated Coconut Oil and Sandalore. Stir gently until they are evenly dispersed.
6. Add the Mild Preserved Eco™ and stir gently to incorporate.
7. Allow the mixture to sit for 24 hours. The Sulfate Free Shampoo Base can take time to thicken with certain ingredients. If further thickening is desired after 24 hours, you can try adding a small amount of salt (Sodium Chloride), starting at 0.2%, and stirring gently until dissolved.

Remember to add the Mild Preserved Eco™ preservative to your final product to ensure its stability and prevent microbial growth.