Strawberry solid shampoo is a simple recipe for making a solid shampoo even for a complete beginner. The combination of two powdered surfactants, a selected oil and water will conjure up a practical shampoo that you will appreciate not only when travelling. Perfume your hair with strawberries and make it with us.
About this recipe
This is a simple solid shampoo with a sweet strawberry scent that even a complete beginner can manage. It is based on a combination of two powdered surfactants — SCI and SCS — together with mango butter and demineralised water; keratin, a preservative, mica powder and strawberry fragrance oil complete the list. The other raw materials can be varied in different ways, or even omitted under certain conditions.
Key benefits
- Even for a complete beginner
A simple solid shampoo recipe you can manage without any previous experience of making cosmetics.
- Four essential ingredients
Selected surfactants, an oil or plant butter and demineralised water are all you need — the rest is up to you.
- Practical for travelling
The solid form of the shampoo is easy to carry, so you will appreciate it not only at home.
- Sweet strawberry scent
The gentle strawberry fragrance oil was selected precisely for its sweet scent.
- Hair care
Keratin is an active substance thanks to which the solid shampoo takes care of hair quality — it gives hair strength and a healthy appearance.
Product properties
Key raw materials in the recipe
For making the shampoo you need only four essential ingredients, namely selected surfactants, an oil or plant butter and demineralised water. The other raw materials can be varied in different ways, or even omitted under certain conditions. Below we go through the individual raw materials, what they do in the recipe and the possible substitutions, so that you can adapt the shampoo to your own favourite colour or scent.
SCI — sodium cocoyl isethionate
The first of the two surfactants is sodium cocoyl isethionate, which represents a cleansing and foaming substance with mild degreasing effects. Also thanks to these properties, SCI is a widely used surfactant in cosmetics. A disadvantage is that in powder form it is easily released into the air, therefore it is recommended to wear a respirator during shampoo preparation until SCI has been incorporated into the mixture.
SCS — sodium coco sulfate
Sodium coco sulfate is the second surfactant ensuring the cleansing and foaming properties of the solid shampoo. It is a mild surfactant made from coconut oil that combines very well with oils and butters. For the proper functionality of the shampoo it is precisely the surfactants that are crucial: if you want to change the ratio of the surfactants, it may cause the shampoo not to solidify or not to have the desired properties. The same applies to replacing surfactants with others — make sure that they are mutually compatible with respect to their charge, i.e. the rule of not combining cationic and anionic surfactants applies. By manipulating the amount of these raw materials you will obtain a shampoo with completely different properties.
Mango butter
When it comes to the use of plant butters and oils in the recipe, you have a wide range of available raw materials at your disposal. The mango butter from the recipe can be replaced by any other butter or plant oil that you prefer. If you increase the proportion of plant butter or oil, it may happen that the shampoo will no longer degrease sufficiently and, on the contrary, the excess fat will leave your hair greasy.
Keratin
Keratin is a protein that occurs in hair and nails. It gives hair strength and a healthy appearance. It is an active substance thanks to which the solid shampoo takes care of hair quality. If, however, you do not have keratin at hand, you can omit it completely. Alternatively, choose other active substances that are suitable for hair cosmetics and compatible with the other raw materials in the recipe and with the pH of the product, such as D-panthenol and others.
Strawberry fragrance oil
A gentle strawberry fragrance oil was selected for its sweet scent. However, fragrance oils are not the only thing you can use to perfume your shampoo. An alternative is represented by essential oils from various plants. The range of essential oils is somewhat narrower than that of fragrance oils, because not all plants produce enough essential substances. Alternatively, you can omit perfuming completely.
Other raw materials and equipment
Demineralised water is used in cosmetics because, in contrast to ordinary tap water, it has a higher purity and does not contain mineral substances that could react with other raw materials. In the recipe for a simple solid shampoo, however, you can also replace demineralised water with flower hydrolats, which have also undergone a distillation process. At the same time, you can give the shampoo a gentle scent.
Mica powder, shade Sunset Dazzler is one of the popular cosmetic colourants that combine well with various raw materials. Mica powders come in a wide variety of shades; mica powders modified to facilitate dissolution in water, so-called mica AquaPearls, are available too. If you want a colourless white shampoo, simply omit the mica powder. Alternatively, you can use herbal or fruit powders for colouring, but here there is a risk that your shampoo will be more prone to more extensive microbial contamination.
Since the solid shampoo comes into contact with water during its use, it is appropriate for a preservative to be used. The shampoo is admittedly a solid product with a minimal water content, and with proper storage it is possible to omit the preservative if you use it up quickly — it is, however, safer to always use a preservative, so if possible, do not skip this step. Euxyl PE 9010 can be replaced by any other broad-spectrum preservative effective in acidic and neutral pH (at least up to pH 7).
For making the solid shampoo, a silicone mould in the shape of a faceted heart was used. However, you have a wide range of various silicone moulds at your disposal. Thanks to its flexibility, silicone allows easy removal of the finished, solidified shampoo. If you do not have a silicone mould at hand, you can also form balls or patties with your hands from the shampoo mass before it solidifies.
Formulation (100 g)
The raw material content is given in percentages by weight, so it corresponds to a batch of 100 g of finished shampoo. Phase A is weighed out together and heated in a water bath; phase B is added only once the mixture has cooled slightly.
| Phase / raw material | Content |
|---|---|
| Phase A — weighing out and water bath | |
| SCI, sodium cocoyl isethionate | 51.0% |
| SCS, sodium coco sulfate | 25.0% |
| Demineralised water | 9.5% |
| Mango butter | 9.5% |
| Mica, shade Sunset Dazzler | 0.5% |
| Phase B — after slight cooling | |
| Keratin | 2.0% |
| Strawberry fragrance oil | 1.5% |
| Euxyl 9010 preservative | 1.0% |
| Equipment | |
| Silicone mould — faceted heart | — |
Method
- Protection while you work
Put on a respirator and gloves — SCI is a fine powder that is easily released into the air in loose form.
- Weighing out the raw materials Phase A
Into a heat-resistant container, e.g. made of borosilicate glass, weigh out the SCI, SCS, water, mica powder and mango butter.
- Water bath Phase A
Place the mixture in a water bath and start heating it with constant stirring.
- Stirring into a solid mass
Stir continuously until the mixture combines into a solid, pliable mass.
- Active substances and fragrance Phase Bapprox. 40 °C
Remove the container with the mixture from the water bath and, after slight cooling — you will be able to hold the mixture in your hand without problems, or it will reach approx. 40 °C — add the preservative, keratin and fragrance oil. Mix well.
- Filling the mould
Immediately fill the mould with the shampoo mass and let it cool down.
- Setting
After solidifying, the shampoo is ready for use.
Use and storage
After solidifying, the shampoo is ready for use. Thanks to its solid form it is practical and you will appreciate it not only when travelling.
Always place the shampoo in a dry place after use, so that it can dry and is not in contact with water until the next use. It is precisely with this kind of storage — and if you use the shampoo up quickly — that the preservative can also be omitted; it is, however, safer always to use one.
Warning
As mentioned, you can experiment with homemade recipes to achieve the desired properties. However, the final result can be influenced by many factors, such as humidity, temperature, the quality of the raw materials or their storage.
Before you use any raw material for making a cosmetic product, familiarise yourself with its properties, recommended dosage, storage conditions and safe handling. Each raw material may have the potential to cause an allergic reaction in sensitive individuals, therefore before using the product we recommend finding out whether you suffer from an allergy to any of the raw materials or to the overall product, e.g. by a skin test.
If you have very sensitive or very acne-prone skin, or you have other skin and health problems, we recommend that you consult a medical professional before applying a new product to the skin, whether it is a homemade cosmetic product, a pure raw material or a commercially available product.
Frequently asked questions about the recipe
Practical questions about the strawberry solid shampoo — safety when working with surfactants, substituting raw materials, colouring and preservation.
Why is a respirator needed when working with SCI?
SCI is a fine powder that is easily released into the air in loose form. That is why it is recommended to wear a respirator (and gloves) during shampoo preparation until SCI has been incorporated into the mixture.
Can I change the ratio of the surfactants or replace them with others?
If you change the ratio of the surfactants, it may cause the shampoo not to solidify or not to have the desired properties. The same applies to replacing surfactants with others — make sure that they are mutually compatible with respect to their charge, i.e. the rule of not combining cationic and anionic surfactants applies.
Can the mango butter be replaced?
Yes, you can replace mango butter with any other butter or plant oil that you prefer. If you increase the proportion of plant butter or oil, however, it may happen that the shampoo will no longer degrease sufficiently and the excess fat will leave your hair greasy.
Do I have to use mica powder?
No — if you want a colourless white shampoo, simply omit the mica powder. Alternatively, you can use herbal or fruit powders for colouring, but here there is a risk that the shampoo will be more prone to more extensive microbial contamination.
Can the preservative be omitted?
The shampoo is a solid product with a minimal water content, so with proper storage (always in a dry place after use, so that it can dry) and quick use it is possible to omit the preservative. Since the shampoo comes into contact with water during use, however, it is safer to always use a preservative. You can replace Euxyl 9010 with any other broad-spectrum preservative effective in acidic and neutral pH (at least up to pH 7).
What if I do not have a silicone mould?
Silicone is suitable because, thanks to its flexibility, it allows easy removal of the finished, solidified shampoo. If you do not have a mould at hand, you can form balls or patties with your hands from the shampoo mass before it solidifies.
Conclusion
Dear friends, how did you like this guide to making a strawberry solid shampoo? Have you already used any solid shampoo from natural raw materials that you came across somewhere in a shop? Write to us about it.
Please write any questions or your observations or experiences to [email protected] and we can exchange knowledge together. We look forward to your questions.
Until saponification, friends.
The SCI and SCS surfactants, plant butters, mica powders and fragrance oils from this recipe are all part of the Handymade range of raw materials.
