Selling handmade shampoo

[wiseleyusedherbs]

Is there anything specific I need to do to sell this with my soaps and lip balms? I have had several customers request all natural shampoo and just wondered what I needed to do to sell it. Do I just sell it like I do my soaps and lip balms or is there another process I need to do for it? Thanks!

 

[Lindy]

Shampoo is quite a bit different than soap. You can't take a good bath soap and re-purpose it into a shampoo. You're going to be looking for totally different properties and additives. I really would recommend doing some research and experimenting. Then put it out to testers and get feedback. I can tell you that when I first started selling soap I was getting the same requests and although I figured, like you, that I could do it by the numbers (properties of the soap), I soon learned that it was a completely different beastie. it took me a good year of experimenting before I came to my basic formulae that I use now.

Cheers

 

[Tabitha]

Shampoo would be classified as either a cosmetic or a drug depending on your claims. If classified as a cosmetic your regulations would be the same as your lip balm which is also a cosmetic unless you are making drug claims for it.

 

[catikit]

Lindy - i'm quite interested to know that you persevered with finding a good recipe for a natural shampoo. I am trying to do the same. Any hints/tips you could give away re: oils/butters etc? Would be very much appreciated. I am finding at the moment that mine can tend to leave a slight residue on my hair - although my hair looks great!

 

[Lindy]

Hi Catikit - take a look at ingredients that are in the high end shampoos and then research them. Some of those ingredients combine really well into CP shampoo...

 

[catikit]

Fab - will do - thats a good idea. And its great to hear another person is making CP shampoo. I thought i was in a lonely minority!

 

[catikit]

oh my word! I just did a quick search of one of my favourite 'natural' cosmetic suppliers and googled their ingredients list for their baby shampoo. Eeeek! Am quite shocked at the nture of the additional synthetic components they include. My search for a good CP shampoo recipe will now gain speed!

 

[judymoody]

Read this:

http://swiftcraftymonkey.blogspot.com/2 ... ampoo.html

She explains better than I can why CP doesn't make good shampoo. It may work for some people but I'm not one of them. I experimented a lot with different butters/oils/etc before I gave up. I've also bought a number of CP shampoo bars from various makers, no dice.

I make solid shampoo bars using surfactants with scary long names I can't pronounce. I justify it by reminding myself that sodium hydroxide isn't exactly natural either. And because they make my hair look and feel fantastic.

Edited to add that if you're thinking about liquid shampoo as opposed to a anhydrous formulation, you will need to use a preservative.

 

[carebear]

oh my word! I just did a quick search of one of my favourite 'natural' cosmetic suppliers and googled their ingredients list for their baby shampoo. Eeeek! Am quite shocked at the nture of the additional synthetic components they include. My search for a good CP shampoo recipe will now gain speed!

I also suggest, when visiting Swift's blog, that you read about how synthetic does not mean bad. Srsly. :roll: If synthetic is bad then you'll have to stop soaping...

True soap sucks as a shampoo for the vast majority of the population. The high pH causes the scales on the hair shaft cuticle to lift, roughening your hair and making it more fragile. If you have any calcium in the water, it will be deposited as soap scum in the hair. And an acid rinse won't really help much. I know some are all giddy over soap for shampoo, but from personal research and many tests with actual consumers I'd say it's not really a great thing. Or rather really not a great thing.

 

[busymakinsoap!]

I have just started using my CP soap as shampoo after reading a book recently about how bad detergent (shampoo) was for our hair and hence the need for conditioners and other products.

It refers to the 'stickyness' caused by CP and relates this to damaged folicles in the hair shaft that trap the soap just as cheese would in a cheese grater, and its recommended to disolve the soap in hot water before use, and follow up with a acid rinse.

My hair is really damaged - its super fine, naturally curly, straightened daily and bleached. I usually only use salon products. But I gave it a go. I was pretty impressed. My hair is much more managable, no friz, and no after product needed. Also I usually need to wash my hair every second day (very limp and oily) and four days after washing it's still fine.

When I straightened there was a slight residue, but only on the ends (extra damaged), it wasnt bad, but different, almost like I already had a product in my hair.

I'm going to continue for a couple of weeks and see how my hair feels. I know you can't believe every thing you read, but it seems to be working for me

 

[wiseleyusedherbs]

Thanks all! I was thinking of a liquid castille soap base for it. I've seen several recipes, but just didn't know where to start. I'm not sure I want to invest a bunch of time into it right now either. Maybe this winter. I am REALLY busy with market and orders and soap making!

 

[carebear]

and what book was that?

 

[Lindy]

I've been using my shampoo bars (CP) for the last 18 months and my hair has never been healthier. There are absolutely no surfactants or detergents in the shampoo but it is more than just soap. One thing I've learned is that we're only limited by our imagination.

The brown one is a Pine Tar Shampoo.... so yes it can be done just do some research on your own and experiment with small batches until you find what works for you, then send it out to your testers and get honest feedback....

 

[catikit]

Thanks everyone. Yes I agree with some-my hair seems to like my shampoo bars, as does my 9month old sons hair. I'm going to continue with researching the best way to make C P shampoos.

 

[carebear]

Please keep us updated on your research!

Lindy, soap is a surfactant. Just an FYI.

 

[Lindy]

Catikit - good for you - I look forward to hearing about your results and I hope you enjoy the exploring....

Yes Carebear - I do realize that, but I'm pretty sure everyone knows what I meant.

Cheers

 

[carebear]

I'm really glad to hear that, Lindy.

Since this really is a teaching place - and you are sharing your expertise with people who may take posts kinda as gospel, I thought it important that no one who is learning from you gets confused - even though I'm sure they all know you didn't really mean that soap isn't a surfactant. Because it is. It's important to be technically correct if you are a resource.

I've been using my shampoo bars (CP) for the last 18 months and my hair has never been healthier. There are absolutely no surfactants or detergents in the shampoo but it is more than just soap. One thing I've learned is that we're only limited by our imagination.

 

[Lindy]

Absolutely correct Carebear - I should have stated no SLS, SLES, SLSa, foaming agents or detergents other than that which naturally occur in soap because most newbies would not know that..... I am definitely giving more credit than is due and I will try to be more explicit in the future.

Thank you for the reminder....