Help making a Shampoo Bar?

[C0hrisLynn]

Hi! I'm new to the forum and loving it! I'm making soap again, to sell and save some money to start a legit little local and online shop/business. Plus I really love using my own handmade items (and others I've bought from some great soapers!). Well I have had a few friends asking about shampoo bars like Lush's, since they find Lush too expensive and they know we use a lot of similar ingredients. I really want to have a small line of shampoo bars and conditioner bars eventually, but for right now I'd love to find a good one that is generally good for most hair types/colors. I want it to be cleansing but also fairly moisturizing, so that a rinse after is not required. I was hoping to make a batch with some oils I have on hand, that we got to sample and test if we liked them. This way they aren't going to waste, and they are some good oils.
I have on hand and would love to be able to incorporate some Wheat Germ Oil, sweet almond oil, Honeyquat Oil, Walnut Oil, Grapeseed Oil, and a small amount of Jojoba Oil. I also have some food grade Solium Sulfate my partner accidentally ordered instead of SLSA, and I think I read somewhere that can be used in shampoo bars? (If so what for? And I don't really have to use it, I just have it sitting around with no idea what to do with it!)
Thanks so much for any advice or tips!!!

 

[artemis]

Quick question: have you tried searching the forum for information? We have a few on-going threads about both shampoo soap bars and shampoo detergent bars.

 

[C0hrisLynn]

Quick question: have you tried searching the forum for information? We have a few on-going threads about both shampoo soap bars and shampoo detergent bars.

Yes I've been looking, and I am finding some info. I didn't know however, if possibly someone new any recipes that might include any of these oils, or if these were particularly good for hair. Most of the shampoo bar recipes/info I find are featuring castor oil and/or argan oil which I do not have on hand at this moment. I was just trying to find a way to use these things as to not waste them and to have some different kind of item as opposed to body soap. Plus I'm curious to find some good recipes~

 

[cmzaha]

There are several threads and discussions about shampoo bars. Shampoo is surfacant based not a soap. Please think about this if you are going to sell. The last thing you want to do is ruin someone's hair, and it can happen with soap based so called shampoo bars. Unless they have changed Lush shampoo bars are syndet bars (synthetic, surfacant bars).

The only way you are going to make something other than a body soap is make a surfacant based "Shampoo"

 

[C0hrisLynn]

There are several threads and discussions about shampoo bars. Shampoo is surfacant based not a soap. Please think about this if you are going to sell. The last thing you want to do is ruin someone's hair, and it can happen with soap based so called shampoo bars. Unless they have changed Lush shampoo bars are syndet bars (synthetic, surfacant bars).

The only way you are going to make something other than a body soap is make a surfacant based "Shampoo"

I suppose if that sodium sulfate is a surfactant (which I've read it is) I wouldn't be against using it. I don't want to ruin anyone's hair. I looked up many shampoo bar "soap based" recipes, tried a couple of them and they just didn't work. They were very drying and I gave up trying to make one. I know lush still uses these synthetics. I figure, even if you are just using this one synthetic salt, it's still a step up from using some of the store-bought stuff that really is mostly chemicals you can hardly produce. I'd like to incorporate some of those oils for their moisturizing and conditioning properties. And yes, I've looked on the forum and have looked at many many shampoo bar links online. I just thought if I put a thread out there stating exactly what I, personally, was trying to do, that maybe someone had a bit of info that might help a bit, because the info to sort through is daunting lol.

 

[shunt2011]

Hello and Welcome!

Here's a couple threads to get you started. Those that make shampoo bars aren't likely to share their recipes as they've done the research already. However, if you put together a recipe and post it folks are more then happy to give their input and help out if they can. You may want to read some of the stickies for form related rules/suggestions etc also. And go to the introduction forum and tell everyone a little about yourself.

https://www.soapmakingforum.com/thr...-tips-for-forming-a-smooth-looking-bar.61716/
https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/swiftcraftymonkey-shampoo-bars-chemicals.59575/

I see you are also already selling a shampoo bar on your Etsy site. High CO can ruin someone's hair. You may also want to read on labeling requirements. You've made some claims that change your soap from soap to cosmetics/drugs and your other items the same thing which could be dangerous for customers.

 

[lsg]

What Shari said. Be careful making claims that move your products from soap into the drug regulation area.

 

[cmzaha]

Interesting that you already sell a shampoo bar on your etsy site, but come here looking for a recipe . As Shunt mentioned, CO is much to harsh for hair

I know this is off the topic but I really pray your GM lotion for eczema has been challenge tested. Ground oats in lotion is not a good idea and gm is one of the hardest to preserve. When people have skin issues such as severe eczema such a product can become life threatening if they are infected with bad bacteria by using it on broken skin. Please to some serious re-thinking of what you sell.

 

[amd]

I started this thread last week about making syndet shampoo bars. (I wish I could get everyone to use "shampoo" for syndet based product and "hair soap" for lye based product.) I don't think shampoo bars are something you can whip together and sell, much like lye-based soap, you need to test them in use - not just for what they do to hair, but how they survive in the shower, traveling, or any other situation a potential customer might put it through. What happens if they put it in a hot car for six hours? Stuff like that. You should also really know the ingredients, how to handle them, what they should look like at each step of the process, and what a correctly made shampoo bar looks like. If you're looking for a fast sell, I don't think you're going to find it here. I expect in my own experiments to have many months of formulating and testing before I have something I will think about selling.

 

[C0hrisLynn]

I started this thread last week about making syndet shampoo bars. (I wish I could get everyone to use "shampoo" for syndet based product and "hair soap" for lye based product.) I don't think shampoo bars are something you can whip together and sell, much like lye-based soap, you need to test them in use - not just for what they do to hair, but how they survive in the shower, traveling, or any other situation a potential customer might put it through. What happens if they put it in a hot car for six hours? Stuff like that. You should also really know the ingredients, how to handle them, what they should look like at each step of the process, and what a correctly made shampoo bar looks like. If you're looking for a fast sell, I don't think you're going to find it here. I expect in my own experiments to have many months of formulating and testing before I have something I will think about selling.

I'm perfectly fine with taking my time and learning about them. That's why I've been looking and researching for information. I plan on using the different bars I use before selling them. In fact, we test all of our soaps and products before I will actually sell them to anyone or list them on our website. I definitely believe in knowing my ingredients, how they work, and what they bring to an item. I make very good, hiqh-quality soaps, scrubs, soaks, and a lotion. I have NOT been able to find a lye-based shampoo bar that I've been happy with for personal use even, so that definitely isn't something I'd consider selling. Hence, me doing my research lol. I'll check out that thread you linked.