Syndet Shampoo Bar Trials

[KiwiMoose]

I've just ordered some Foaming Apple from Lotion Crafter ( cost more for shipping USA - NZ than it did for the product - lol). Looking forward to experimenting with that when it comes.

Feedback from two more testers is that the bar is good! My friend (who has frizzy hair) said her hair was a little frizzy after using but she didn't use a conditioner so I expect that wouldn't have helped. My hair tends towards frizzy too, but I still use a commercial conditioner ( until I start making conditioner bars!). Anyway - she said she would happily come back for more once this bar is gone. My mum has tested it and LOVES it! She reckons it made her hair thicker!? Not sure about that, but she and I have similar hair types, except that hers has thinned a bit with age.

 

[SideDoorSoaps]

These foaming products have my curiosity piqued. I can’t use Apple because I’m allergic to some but foaming oats...

I finally have a recipe for shampoo and conditioner bars that I like and now can pass out some testers.

 

[Carolyne Thrasher]

About the drying ends. I have read somewhere. Can't remember that it is useful to make a conditioning bar to apply just to the ends of your hair. However, I'm super lazy and rarely used conditioner even when using bottled shampoo. I do know that a 2-in-1 product shampoo bar makes for greasy hair for me so I might whip up a trial conditioner just to see. I heard raspberry seed oil is really good because it helps with sun damage so maybe a leave in serum or something would be even better. Has anyone heard of such a thing?

 

[KiwiMoose]

I've now tried my new foaming apple bars and can report that there is a reduction in lather to my previous ingredients ( upon second shampooing it was fine though). However, it definitely feels more gentle, and my hair is softer. I should point out that I still use a regular conditioner afterwards at this stage (I will one day make a conditioner bar too).

I've cut the decyl glucoside fromm the recipe, and decreased the capryl glucoside and DLS to 5% combined. I added foaming apple at 10%. I also reduced the SLSA from 15 to 5%, and increased the SCI to a total of 50% of the recipe. I suspect it's the SLSA that was the main contributor to the lather, and that by reducing it I have also reduced lather.

The pH of the bars is now 5.3.

 

[KiwiMoose]

So - upon reflection I notice my scalp is not as itchy with the new bars. Not that it was super-itchy before, but it was itchy. It's not now since using the foaming apple. My suspicion from reading another site is that the SLSA is what was causing the itchiness, and now that my new recipe has reduced this from 15% to 5% it is fine. However, another consideration is that the previous bars were a lower pH than my scalp ( in the 4's) and now I am up to 5.3 it is closer to my scalp/skin pH and so that's why my scalp likes it better. Thoughts?

 

[Gaisy59]

I am wondering if it would be due to what you removed/decreased (decyl glucoside/capryl glucoside and DLS)?

 

[KiwiMoose]

I am wondering if it would be due to what you removed/decreased (decyl glucoside/capryl glucoside and DLS)?

Yes - another option. I do notice that a lot of people find the SLSA itchy though. And that's the only thing I was using in larger quantities.

 

[Gaisy59]

Are you sure its SLSa because all i can find are bad reports for SLS which is different? But i would like to see what others are thinking.

 

[KiwiMoose]

Are you sure its SLSa because all i can find are bad reports for SLS which is different? But i would like to see what others are thinking.

It's from the syndet facebook group that others are saying SLSA. My partner has been using the Lush ones which are about 80% SLS and whenever I've trialled those they don't get itchy. But y' know it could be anything - and also it's entirely personal. None of my other testers have reported being itchy, so who knows?

 

[Gaisy59]

Funny you should say that because the bar I bought to try has SCS and it does not bother me and you would think it would be worse than SLSa.

 

[KiwiMoose]

Most commercial shampoos have either SLS or SCS and I never react to those.

 

[Carolyne Thrasher]

@KiwiMoose I’m sure the slsa is problematic for a lot of people. It is me. When I lower it to 10% it’s ok. Foaming Apple increased the ph of my bar but I like it because I think it is more biodegradable than CAPB. I’m going to try the other foaming liquid surfactants except the silk because I have a vegan customer following. I think I have my base recipe pretty well dialed in but this weekend I’m going to attempt to make a clarifying bar for my daughter and include activated charcoal. I’ll post my recipe and results next week.

 

[Kcryss]

@KiwiMoose Foaming Apple increased the ph of my bar but I like it because I think it is more biodegradable than CAPB. I’m going to try the other foaming liquid surfactants except the silk because I have a vegan customer following.

I'm doing basically the same thing, trying to remove everything except a foaming amino acid and SCI for the same reasons. I hadn't even thought about silk being an issue for vegans. Guess my niece will not be happy or will not try it unless I change that ...
I've also found recently other amino acid based surfactants, specifically sodium cocoyl glycinate, but it seems to only be available in the US via Alibaba.

 

[amd]

@KiwiMoose is this your current recipe?
50% SCI
5% SLSa
6% Cetyl alcohol
10% Varisoft
5% Capryl gluco
5% Shea
1% Vegetable silicone (hemisqualene)
1% Silk protein
1% Lactic acid
10% Foaming apple
Fragrance

I'm coming up 6% short and wanted to make sure I was following your changes correctly.

 

[KiwiMoose]

I’m not at my computer presently but you also need to add fractionated coconut oil, b panthenol, I think some DLS, and something else...?
ETA
2% Fractionated CO ( LOVE this stuff! - but I do have dry coarse hair, recently bleached which made it worse)
1% B Panthenol
1% Preservative
I also used 2% vegetable lanolin coz I had some here for my shave soap. You could chuck in something else that you like the sound of.

 

[amd]

Thanks for clarifying that @KiwiMoose how did you like the vegetable lanolin? I have some regular lanolin here that I need to use up, so that might be an interesting addition to the shampoo bar.

 

[KiwiMoose]

Thanks for clarifying that @KiwiMoose how did you like the vegetable lanolin? I have some regular lanolin here that I need to use up, so that might be an interesting addition to the shampoo bar.

I think it seems great - but then again I added the fractionated coconut oil at the same time, so that was a bit silly in hindsight - now I'll never really know which of the two finally provided the properties i was seeking. I guess I always assumed it was the FCO because I had been using it neat on my hair before blowdrying before having the epiphany about adding it to my shampoo bar.
This sounds pretty good though - in support of lanolin: Lanolin Oil: Health Benefits, Uses, and Side Effects

 

[Megan]

Ummmm...vegetable lanolin! Why haven't I heard about this till now!?!

Edit: does it have issues with crystallization due to the shea butter....Shea butter is one of my favorite and least favorite ingredients...

 

[KiwiMoose]

Ummmm...vegetable lanolin! Why haven't I heard about this till now!?!

Edit: does it have issues with crystallization due to the shea butter....Shea butter is one of my favorite and least favorite ingredients...

crystallisation? no - why would it?

 

[Megan]

crystallisation? no - why would it?

I have issues with grainyness in my products made with shea butter after a while. The vegetable lanolin I saw was made partially with shea butter