How to make innovative shampoo formulas: low poo, micellar & 2-in-1s 

Low-poo shampoo

Low-poo shampoo formulas are created for dry and curly hair types, where they don’t want a lot of foam or too strong a clean. They are specifically suited for dry and curly hair types where not much oil gets spread or trapped on the hair, so strong cleansing power simply isn’t wanted.

In traditional shampoos, a generally high foam is always required to give both a strong clean and consumer satisfaction – but for those with very dry and curly hair, it can leave the hair feeling stripped and frizzy.

Tips to formulate a low-poo shampoo include:

• A humectant works wonders in these types of products; you can use propylene glycol (it decreases foam and is usually undesirable in a foaming product – but in these products decreased foam is a good thing!) Glycerin and propanediol are also popular and easy to source choices.
• Use around 15% total active input of non-ionic and amphoteric surfactants. Anionic surfactants are not commonly used in low-poo formulas to keep the foam and cleansing power down. Non-ionic and amphoteric surfactants also provide a softer feeling clean, ideal for this hair type.
• Limit superfatting agents and/or use plant oils. You would not normally add a plant oil to a foaming formula because it can leave a residue and decrease foam and cleansing power – but these are again the key differences you want in a low-poo formula. You could combine around 3%w/w superfatting agent with up to 2% plant oil in a low-poo formula.
• Include a polyquaternium agent to give a detangling and defrizz boost.
• Include a hydrolyzed protein to help manage the hair and improve damage; this can also help tame any wild curls and give a lasting shine to the hair. Learn about different proteins in this video.

Get inspired with our How to make low poo shampoo video, watch here.

Micellar shampoo

Micellar shampoos are formulating to be gentle shampoos with an excess of micelles ready to trap dirt, product and oils on the hair and whisk them away easily. Micellar shampoos are great on very fine and dry hair to help reduce the risk of static build up from deeper cleansing products.

Tips to formulate a micellar shampoo include:

• Use an amino acid based anionic surfactant, like a sarcosinate or glycinate, at 7%w/w active content to give a milder yet effective clean.
• Pair this with around 5%w/w of an amphoteric surfactant to boost micellar creation and a superior soft foam.
• Use a superfatting agent at 5%w/w to boost the softness whilst adding to the micellar build.
• Include a polyquaternium material to help reduce static and flyaways after wash off; this will also help boost softness to the hair once dried.
• A low input of a hydrolysed protein can be of benefit to help repair damage; learn how to make vegan-friendly protein choices in your cosmetic formulas with this blog.

See how easy it is to make a micellar shampoo; watch how to make micellar shampoo with this video.

 

2-in-1 shampoo

2-in-1 shampoos are created for convenience, often daily application and shorter hair types. They do not contain the full conditioning benefits that long, dry or damaged hair needs, so make sure you are using two different products – the standard shampoo and conditioner approach – if your hair is dry, damaged or long, because 2-in-1 shampoos simply won’t give you the kind of cleansing or conditioning that type of hair needs.

2-in-1 shampoos are fantastic for your on-the-go sports person who is regularly showering and often in a hurry with shorter hair. Here are tips on how they are created:

• Use anionic surfactant at around 5%w/w active content for a decent clean – this can be a taurate, isethionate or even a sulfate, to make sure the hair is cleansed thoroughly.
• Pair this with 5%w/w amphoteric surfactant to boost softness and mildness, since it is likely to be used every day.
• Both a polyquaternium and hydroxypropyl guar trimonium chloride material should be used – both at maximum recommended inputs – as these are your conditioning agents. Standard cationic emulsifiers and surfactants are not compatible with anionic surfactants and unsuitable to be used in these types of products; so you need to really boost the cationic content for conditioning benefits from the polymeric materials instead.
• Include 2-3%w/w very high HLB emulsifier and/or glycol stearate to give a creamy or pearly look to the product and boost mildness and viscosity.
• If the budget allows, add a hydrolysed protein to support hair health and strength.

Learn how to make 2-in-1 shampoo with this video, watch now.

Getting innovative with shampoo formulas is trending to address the various different hair types and their needs to get fresh results. Remember to consider what each different hair type needs in terms of foam and cleansing power first, as well as what that type of hair needs when it comes to conditioning, repair and after-wash out feeling.

Then remember to adjust the essential ingredients in your traditional shampoo formula build to make it more of what they need, rather than what we’ve always been told, and you’ll have a new -poo perfect for a new type of ‘do’.

Happy formulating!