Want to know how to make a shampoo that will eventually sell (from scratch)? Do you want to turn your homemade shampoo into a well-known brand?

 

In this article, you will learn about the basic ingredients used by shampoo manufacturers.

 

Today, demand for hygiene products such as shampoos is surging due to the need to become clean to avoid COVID-19 infections. According to a global survey, the shampoo market is expected to reach $1.48 billion by 2024, growing at a CAGR of 9%.

 

Therefore, if manufacturing and selling shampoo is your specific area, then you have a considerable advantage in the market. 

 

So first, let's start with the right shampoo formulation.

 

Shampoo ingredient list

It's easy to find your local grocery store aisle where there are many shampoo brands to choose from, but the truth is that most of their ingredients usually boil down to the same ingredients.

 

When you actually compare these shampoo ingredients, you'll soon be able to plot a Venn diagram of the 10 most similar ingredients.

 

 Ingredients of Shampoo

 

The following are the most common ingredients found in most commercial shampoo formulations.

 

1. deionized water/water

The most common shampoo ingredient, making up about 80% of the mixture. Without water or water as a solvent, the liquid used for lathering will not flow from the bottle.

 

2. Surfactant (sodium dodecyl sulfate)

Surfactants remove dirt from the surface of the hair and carry it away with the water when rinsing. They are the cleansing agents that make hair clean and shiny. Surfactants are also the main ingredient in soap and lather up when you lather on wet skin.

 

3. Foaming agent (cocamidopropyl betaine)

You will see cocamidopropyl betaine in many shampoo formulations, which provides foaming or lathering. It also helps with surfactants and thickens the mixture, making it sticky. It also has a gentle cleansing ability that conditions and softens the hair for a satisfying shampooing experience.

 

4. Conditioning Polymers (Polyquaternium)

This is often used in many personal care industries. It also helps to form a protective film on the hair and provides anti-static properties for better hair management.

 

5. Preservatives (Parabens)

You must have seen parabens in many beauty products, not just shampoos. They are often used as preservatives in cosmetics and personal care products to remove bacteria from the products. However, some forms of parabens contain high estrogenic content that can cause cancer. This is why they are added in very small amounts to the mixture to prevent any side effects on people.

 

 Daily Chemical Grade Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose

6. Opacifying Pearling Agents

If you notice how shampoos have glossy, pearly appearance, it’s partly thanks to the pearling agent. Not only does it provide thickening texture, but also makes the shampoo less transparent and appear silky white.

 

7. Conditioning Emollient (Dimethicone)

We take dimethicone as an example because it is mainly used as a conditioning emollient in many shampoo formulations. It provides moisturizing power to shampoos and conditions hair to make it feel smoother.

 

8. PH regulator (citric acid)

Citric acid is the most common pH regulator found in many shampoo ingredients. In some labels, it is named sodium citrate.

 

Basically, it keeps your shampoo at the proper acidity level, usually 5.5 or lower. The acid reacts with the negative charge of the hair and helps the cuticle or top layer of the hair to maintain a smooth surface.

 

9. Salt (sodium chloride)

You must be wondering why salt or sodium chloride is needed in shampoo formulations. Sodium chloride makes the cuticle rougher and therefore the hair looks fuller.

 

10. Fatty alcohols

Now you may be wondering why alcohol (which is mainly considered to have a drying effect on the skin) is part of shampoo formulas. But some alcohols, such as fatty alcohols, can be used as moisturizing ingredients. You can find panthenol, cetearyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol or cetearyl alcohol in many beauty gels, creams and ointments, which actually bind moisture on the scalp or skin. Panthenol is a fatty alcohol that provides vitamin B5.