Shampoo Bars - syndet melt & pour

[ScentimentallyYours]

Stephenson makes a melt & pour shampoo bar as well as a conditioner bar. Has anyone tried working with them? I’m looking at ordering the bases from the chemistry store. Any thoughts on the formulas? I like the idea of less plastic for packaging. I’m also wondering if they may be mild enough for a dog soap.

 

[AliOop]

The base for the shampoo bar contains sulfate, so that's a hard pass for me - too harsh and stripping on my hair and skin. The base for the conditioner bar looks fine.

 

[ScentimentallyYours]

I agree with your concern over the sulfates, @AliOop. I would love to find a way to make an unscented version of Renpure’s cleansing conditioner. If I could make it as a bar, I would be happy not to create more plastic waste. If I need to make it and package it in bottles, I could put it in glass or ?????

Ingredients:
Purified Water, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Behentrimonium Chloride, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Hypnea Musciformis Extract, Gellidiela Acerosa Extract, Sargassum Filipendula Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Butter, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Hydrolyzed Pea Protein, Psidium Guajava Fruit Extract, Butyrospermum Parkii Oil, Sorbitol, Amodimethicone, Trideceth-12, Cetrimonium Chloride, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Glycereth-26, Silicone Quaternium-17, Diazolidinyl Urea, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Disodium EDTA, Fragrance

Any ideas or recommendations would be appreciated.

 

[AliOop]

If you are a member of the Swifty Crafty Monkey blog, she regularly has columns where she explains how to replicate specific popular shampoos, etc. She also has an extensive section on shampoo bars. It only costs $1 per month for the minimum membership, and you can quit anytime.

HumbleBee & Me also has a lot of publicly-accessible shampoo bar recipes on her blog, including a few with very minimal ingredients.

 

[Obsidian]

Slippery glass bottles in a shower are dangerous.

I think that base looks fine. The sulfate in it is one of the milder ones. I'll have to try it myself

 

[AliOop]

Good point about the glass.

My understanding is that although SLeS is a milder sulfate, you still don't want to use it with color-treated hair. Some suggested replacements from Humblebee & Me:

If you need a substitute for Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLeS), Sodium coco sulfate is another sulfate you may have on hand, though you will likely need to dissolve it in some water to create a liquid solution with a similar concentration to use it in place of SLeS. You can try Sodium C14-16 Alpha Olefin Sulfonate (Bio-Terge AS40) as an alternative liquid anionic non-sulfate surfactant, or even Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, though it is non-ionic and does not have the same high-foam properties.

 

[Obsidian]

As far as dog shampoo goes, none of the shampoos I have contain sulfates of any kind.
Occasional use on a dog won't hurt but I wouldn't use on a regular basic, its likely to dry out their skin.

Really shouldn't label anything for dogs unless its specifically made for them.
Mess up a dogs skin with improper products and you'll have really ticked off customers.

 

[lsg]

Here is a link to a simple sulfate free shampoo bar.

 

[Megan]

How timely!

 

[ScentimentallyYours]

As far as dog shampoo goes, none of the shampoos I have contain sulfates of any kind.
Occasional use on a dog won't hurt but I wouldn't use on a regular basic, its likely to dry out their skin.

Really shouldn't label anything for dogs unless its specifically made for them.
Mess up a dogs skin with improper products and you'll have really ticked off customers.

I don’t have to worry about labeling anything for dogs since I don’t sell. I have used bar soaps, including some thing made for dogs, in the past and really liked the way I could get it evenly all over their body.

It’s a good point about glass not being used in the shower, but I could put it in a larger bottle for storage and pour it into a recycled bottle for the bathroom.

 

[ScentimentallyYours]

Good point about the glass.

My understanding is that although SLeS is a milder sulfate, you still don't want to use it with color-treated hair. Some suggested replacements from Humblebee & Me:

If you need a substitute for Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLeS), Sodium coco sulfate is another sulfate you may have on hand, though you will likely need to dissolve it in some water to create a liquid solution with a similar concentration to use it in place of SLeS. You can try Sodium C14-16 Alpha Olefin Sulfonate (Bio-Terge AS40) as an alternative liquid anionic non-sulfate surfactant, or even Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, though it is non-ionic and does not have the same high-foam properties.

The Renpure shampoo does not foam at all, so I’m now accustom to shampoo that doesn’t foam. Thanks for the recommendations!

Oooo … I’m on the humble bee and me website looking at shampoo bar formulas. Love the sulfate free version that can be used as a body wash!

 

[Obsidian]

I don’t have to worry about labeling anything for dogs since I don’t sell. I have used bar soaps, including some thing made for dogs, in the past and really liked the way I could get it evenly all over their body.

It’s a good point about glass not being used in the shower, but I could put it in a larger bottle for storage and pour it into a recycled bottle for the bathroom.

Oh, for some reason I though you were looking to add to your line. I'll chalk it up to a sketchy memory lol.

I've used my need oil soap on my dogs, it works so much better at removing doggy smell then actual dog shampoo.
I also use baby shampoo to wash their faces so I don't hurt their eyes.

When I was making liquide soap, I always stored it glass and just refilled a old plastic pump bottle as needed.

 

[ScentimentallyYours]

Oh, for some reason I though you were looking to add to your line. I'll chalk it up to a sketchy memory lol.

I've used my need oil soap on my dogs, it works so much better at removing doggy smell then actual dog shampoo.
I also use baby shampoo to wash their faces so I don't hurt their eyes.

When I was making liquide soap, I always stored it glass and just refilled a old plastic pump bottle as needed.

I have two Brittany’s, rescue #s 4 & 5. I have been continually amazed that they do not build up doggy odors like many of the dogs who previously shared my life. They sometimes get allergies that cause their eyes to tear up, and sometimes they just get plain old dirty. Since they sleep up on the bed with us, an occasional bath is in order. I wash them up as far as their ears, but only use water on their face. I once had a cockapoo who needed to have her face washed occasionally with a tear free shampoo, but the Brittanys have short facial hair. Love these babies!

 

[ScentimentallyYours]

 

[Obsidian]

View attachment 64135

Aww, sweet babies. We had a Brittany was I was quite young. He was nice, a bit high strung.

I have a pit/american bulldog with allergies and he gets pretty yeasty smelling.
The other is a staffy and she just flat out gets dirty

 

[Nona'sFarm]

I've used my need oil soap on my dogs

Neem oil, I'm guessing. Mine has neem (15%), olive, palm, coconut, Shea butter, and castor; 5% SF; do you think that would be ok for dogs, if I make sure the EOs I add are ok for dogs?

 

[ScentimentallyYours]

I ordered ingredients from WSP to make shampoo/syndet bath bars. I liked the humblebee and me formulas, but then I found a three-in-one formula on the WSP site that I plan to try first since I already have most of the ingredients.

My mother referred me to a website that has personal care products for people with sensitivities and allergies. Lots of good information on chemical sensitivities. I ordered the shampoo and conditioner to try. I would love to order the cleansing bar, but it seems there’s no place to get it right now. The ingredients, however, look like a good starting point for a mild bar that I could use with my dogs. Vanicream has a chart listing ingredients and functions here.

Gee… My plain old soap looks simple compared to this!

 

[Obsidian]

Neem oil, I'm guessing. Mine has neem (15%), olive, palm, coconut, Shea butter, and castor; 5% SF; do you think that would be ok for dogs, if I make sure the EOs I add are ok for dogs?

A lot of EOs are toxic to dog, I absolutely wouldn't use any unless OKed by your vet.
Either leave unscented or use a FO.

Your recipe should be fine, just keep the coconut at 20% or less so not to dry out their skin.