What is shampoo made of

Ingredients have been further examined by a chemist for bioaccumulation builds up in human bodies , persistence builds up in the environment , ecosystem harm, as well as for general and aquatic toxicity.

You may not reproduce, distribute, publicly display, modify or otherwise use these materials for any commercial purpose without prior permission from Nontoxic Certified. To request permission, please contact us. Share this page:. These materials are owned by Nontoxic Certified and are subject to copyright protection. Specialty shampoos, such as those that treat dandruff, dry hair or curly hair, use additional active ingredients to change the way that the shampoo works.

Shampoos, like many personal care products, are made of a number of chemicals, both active and inactive, that together create a useful and convenient way to get your hair clean. Previous Post Chemicals and fracking: What makes up fracking fluid? Next Post Remove waste from your university lab safely. New Products. Sulfoxaflor Flurochloridone Sulfoxaflor Solution Flurochloridone Solution Octachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin Octachlorodibenzofuran 1,2,3,4-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin 2,2',4,5',6-Pentabromobiphenyl Solution.

New Volume Discounts Learn More ». Newsletter Sign up for our newsletter to stay in touch about latest news, specials, new products and more. Newsletter Sign-up:. They also consider performance attributes, such as how well it cleans, what the foam looks like, and how irritating it will be. Consumer testing often helps determine what these characteristics should be. Once the features of the shampoo are identified, a formula is created in the laboratory.

These initial batches are made in small beakers using various ingredients. The more important ingredients in shampoo formulations are water, detergents, foam boosters, thickeners, conditioning agents, preservatives, modifiers, and special additives. Deionized water, which is specially treated to remove various particles and ions, is used in shampoos. The source of the water can be underground wells, lakes, or rivers. The next most abundant ingredients in shampoos are the primary detergents.

These materials, also known as surfactants, are the cleansing ingredients in shampoos. Surfactants are surface active ingredients, meaning they can interact with a surface. The chemical nature of a surfactant allows it to surround and trap oily materials from surfaces. One portion of the molecule is oil compatible soluble while the other is water soluble.

When a shampoo is applied to hair or textiles, the oil soluble portion aligns with the oily materials while the water soluble portion aligns in the water layer. When a number of surfactant molecules line up like this, they form a structure known as a micelle.

This micelle has oil trapped in the middle and can be washed away with water, thus giving the shampoo its cleansing power.

Surfactants are derived from compounds known as fatty acids. Fatty acids are naturally occurring materials which are found in various plant and animal sources. The materials used most often to make the surfactants used in shampoos are extracted from coconut oil, palm kernel oil, and soy bean oil. Some common primary detergents used in shampoos are ammonium lauryl sulfate, sodium lauryl sulfate, and sodium lauryl ether sulfate.

In addition to cleansing surfactants, other types of surfactants are added to shampoos to improve the foaming characteristics of the formulation. These materials, called alkanolamides, help increase the amount of foam and the size of the bubbles. Like primary detergents, they are also derived from fatty acids and have both water soluble and oil soluble characteristics. To some extent, the alkanolamides that make shampoos foam also make the formulations thicker.

However, other materials are also used to increase the viscosity. For example, methylcellulose, derived from plant cellulose, is included in shampoos to make them thicker. Sodium chloride salt also can be used to increase shampoo thickness. Some materials are also added to shampoos to offset the sometimes harsh effect of surfactants on hair and fabrics.

Typical conditioning agents include polymers, silicones, and quaternary agents. Each of these compounds deposit on the surface of the hair and improve its feel, softness, and combability, while reducing static charge. Shampoos that specifically feature conditioning as a benefit are called 2-in-1 shampoos because they clean and condition hair in the same step. Examples of conditioning agents include guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride which is a polymer, dimethicone which is a silicone, and quatemium 80, a quatemary agent.

Since shampoos are made from water and organic compounds, contamination from bacteria and other microbes is possible. Preservatives are added to prevent such growth. Two of the most common preservatives used in shampoos are DMDM hydantoin and methylparaben.