About Shampoo

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How Shampoo Works

Shampoos are formulated with cleansing agents called surfactants (a type of detergent), which
are small molecules that have "water-attracting heads" and "oil-attracting tails".

When you mix shampoo with water and apply it to your hair, lather is formed. This happens
when the water-attracting molecules in the shampoo are drawn towards the water, and the oil-
attracting molecules are drawn towards the oil and grease on the scalp (as well as other dirt
and skin particles in the hair).

The lathering action creates a push-and-pull effect on the oil and grease, essentially lifting it
from the hair. Shampoo cleanses by stripping sebum (oil secreted from hair follicles) from the
hair. While sebum is a necessary element of the hair because it provides a protective barrier
on each individual strand, it also attracts and collects flakes, styling products, and dirt
(especially around the hairline). When shampoo removes sebum, it also removes all of the
unwanted residues from the hair.
*While shampoos and soaps both contain surfactants, you should avoid using soap to wash
your hair. The surfactants found in soap bind and remove oils too much, making it harmful to
your hair. Shampoo uses a different class of surfactants, which are balanced in order to
remove just the right amount of oil from the hair.

Shampoo is a hair care product used for the removal of oils, dirt, skin particles, dandruff,
environmental pollutants and other contaminant particles that gradually build up in hair. The
goal is to remove the unwanted build-up without stripping out so much sebum as to make hair
unmanageable. Even though most modern shampoos include a conditioning component,
shampooing is frequently followed by the use of conditioners which ease combing and styling.

History

The word shampoo in English is derived from Hindi chāmpo (चापो [tʃãːpoː]),[1] and dates to
1762.[2] The Hindi word referred to head massage, usually with some form of hair oil.[3] Similar
words also occur in other North Indian languages. The word and the service of head massage
were introduced to Britain by a Bengali entrepreneur Sake Dean Mahomed. Dean Mahomed
introduced the practice to Basil Cochrane's vapour baths while working there in London in the
early 19th century, and later, together with his Irish wife, opened "Mahomed's Steam and
Vapour Sea Water Medicated Baths" in Brighton, England. His baths were like Turkish baths
where clients received an Indian treatment of champi (shampooing), meaning therapeutic
massage. He was appointed ‘Shampooing Surgeon’ to both George IV and William IV.[4]

In the 1860s, the meaning of the word shifted from the sense of massage to that of applying
soap to the hair.[5] Earlier, ordinary soap had been used for washing hair.[6] However, the dull
film soap left on the hair made it uncomfortable, irritating, and unhealthy looking.

During the early stages of shampoo, English hair stylists boiled shaved soap in water and
added herbs to give the hair shine and fragrance. Kasey Hebert was the first known maker of
shampoo, and the origin is currently attributed to him. Commercially made shampoo was
available from the turn of the 20th century.
A 1914 ad for Canthrox Shampoo in American Magazine showed young women at camp
washing their hair with Canthrox in a lake; magazine ads in 1914 by Rexall featured Harmony
Hair Beautifier and Shampoo.[7]

Originally, soap and shampoo were very similar products; both containing the same naturally-
derived surfactants, a type of detergent. Modern shampoo as it is known today was first
introduced in the 1930s with Drene, the first shampoo with synthetic surfactants.[8]

Commonly used ingredients

• Ammonium chloride
• Ammonium lauryl sulfate
• Glycol
• Sodium laureth sulfate is derived from coconut oils and is used to soften water and
create a lather. There was some concern over this particular ingredient circa 1998 about
this chemical being a carcinogen, but that has been disproved.
• Sodium lauryl sulfate
• Sodium Lauroamphoacetate is naturally derived from coconut oils and is used as a
cleanser and counter-irritant. This is the ingredient that makes the product tear-free.
• Polysorbate 20 is a mild surfactant that is used to solubilize fragrance oils and essential
oils; meaning it causes liquid to spread across and penetrate the surface of a solid (i.e.
your hair).
• Polysorbate 80 (or Glycol) is used to emulsify (or disperse) oils in water (so the oils
don’t float on top like Italian salad dressing).
• PEG-150 Distearate is a simple thickener.
• Citric Acid is naturally derived from citrus fruits and is used as an antioxidant to
preserve the oils in the product. While it is a severe eye-irritant, the Sodium
Lauroamphoacetate counteracts that property. Citric acid is used to adjust the pH down
to 5.5 (ish). It is a fairly weak acid which makes the adjustment easier. Shampoos
usually are at pH 5.5 because at slightly acidic pH the scales on a hair follicle lay flat
making the hair feel smooth and look shiny. it also has a small amount of preservative
action. Citric acid as opposed to any other acid will prevent bacterial growth.
 • Quaternium-15 is used as a bacterial/fungicidal preservative.
• Polyquaternium-10 is a totally different chemical than Quaternium-15. This chemical
acts as the conditioning ingredient, providing moisture and fullness to the hair.
• Di-PPG-2 myreth-10 adipate is a water-dispersible emollient that forms clear solutions
with surfactant systems

Ingredient and functional claims

In the USA, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) mandates that shampoo containers
accurately list ingredients. The government further regulates what shampoo manufacturers can
and cannot claim as any associated benefit. Shampoo producers often use these regulations
to challenge marketing claims made by competitors, helping to enforce these regulations.
While the claims may be substantiated however, the testing methods and details of such
claims are not as straightforward. For example, many products are purported to protect hair
from damage due to ultraviolet radiation. While the ingredient responsible for this protection
does block UV, it is not often present in a high enough concentration to be effective. The North
American Hair Research Society has a program to certify functional claims based on third
party testing. Shampoos made for treating medical conditions such as dandruff are regulated
as OTC drugs[10] in the US marketplace. In other parts of the world such as the EU, there is a
requirement for the anti-dandruff claim to be substantiated, but it is not considered to be a
medical problem.

Vitamins and amino acids

The effectiveness of vitamins, amino acids and "pro-vitamins" to shampoo is also largely
debatable. Vitamins are substances that are essential for chemical processes that occur within
the body, chiefly inside living cells and in the bloodstream. They cannot have the same
beneficial effects on dead tissues like grown hair. However, the physical properties of some
vitamins (like vitamin E oil or panthenol) would have a temporary cosmetic effect on the hair
shaft while not having any bioactivity. The proteins that make up the strand are chains of
amino acids connected in very specific sequences, and are tightly packed in interlocking
arrangements.
Proteins are unable to penetrate the skin or the hair, and even if they stick to the outside of the
hair they will not help strengthen it. Amino acids cannot penetrate cells through the skin, either;
they may be able to enter the dead strands, but without the complex protein-building
machinery of the living cells they will not actually return damaged hair proteins to their
undamaged state.

Raw Materials

New shampoos are initially created by cosmetic chemists in the laboratory. These scientists
begin by determining what characteristics the shampoo formula will have. They must decide on
aesthetic features such as how thick it should be, what color it will be, and what it will smell
like. 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. In the personal care
industry, nearly all of the ingredients that can be used are classified by the Cosmetic, Toiletry,
and Fragrance Association (CTFA) in the governmentally approved collection known as the
International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients (INCI). The more important ingredients in
shampoo formulations are water, detergents, foam boosters, thickeners, conditioning agents,
preservatives, modifiers, and special additives.

Water

The primary ingredient in all shampoos is water, typically making up about 70-80% of the
entire formula. 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.

Detergents

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.

Foam boosters

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.
Typical materials include lauramide DEA or cocamide DEA.

Thickeners

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.

Conditioning agents

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.

Preservatives

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.

Modifiers

Other ingredients are added to shampoo formulas to modify specific characteristics. Opacifiers
are added to make the formula opaque and give it a pearly look. Materials known as
sequestering agents are added to offset the dulling effects of hard water. Acids or bases such
as citric acid or sodium hydroxide are added to adjust the pH of a shampoo so the detergents
will provide optimal cleaning.

Special additives

One of the primary factors that influence the purchase of a shampoo is its color and odor. To
modify these characteristics, manufacturers add fragrance oils and governmentally approved
and certified FD&C dyes. Other special additives can also have a similar effect. Natural
materials such as botanical extracts, natural oils, proteins, and vitamins all impart special
qualities and help sell shampoos. Additives such as zinc pyrithione are included to address the
problem of dandruff. Other additives are dyes which can color the hair.
The Manufacturing
Process

After a shampoo formula is developed, it is tested to ensure that its qualities will minimally
change over time. This type of testing, called stability testing, is primarily used to detect
physical changes in such things as color, odor, and thickness. It can

also provide information about other changes, like microbial contamination and performance
differences. This testing is done to ensure that the bottle of shampoo that is on the store
shelves will perform just like the bottle created in the laboratory.

The manufacturing process can be broken down into two steps. First a large batch of shampoo
is made, and then the batch is packaged in individual bottles.
Compounding

• 1 Large batches of shampoo are made in a designated area of the manufacturing plant.
Here workers, known as compounders, follow the formula instructions to make batches
that can be 3,000 gal (11,000 1) or more. Raw materials, which are typically provided in
drums as large as 55 gal (200 1) or in 50-lb (23-kg) bags, are delivered to the
compounding area via forklift trucks. They are poured into the batch tank and thoroughly
mixed.
• 2 Depending on the formula, these batches can be heated and cooled as necessary to
help the raw materials combine more quickly. Some raw materials such as water or the
primary detergents are pumped and metered directly into the batch tank.

These materials are added simply by pressing a button on computerized controls.

These controls also regulate the mixing speeds and the heating and cooling rates.
Depending on the size and type of shampoo, making a 3,000-gal (11,000-1) batch can
take anywhere from one to four hours.
Quality control check

• 3 After all the ingredients are added to the batch, a sample is taken to the Quality
Control (QC) lab for testing. Physical characteristics are checked to make sure the
batch adheres to the specifications outlined in the formula instructions. The QC group
runs tests such as pH determination, viscosity checks, and appearance and odor
evaluations. They can also check the amount of detergent that is in the formula and
whether there is enough preservative. If the batch is found to be "out of spec,"
adjustments can be made. For instance, acids or bases can be added to adjust the pH,
or salt can be added to modify the viscosity. Colors can also be adjusted by adding
more dye.
• 4 After a batch is approved by QC, it is pumped out of the main batch tank into a
holding tank where it can be stored until the filling lines are ready. From the holding tank
it gets pumped into the filler, which is made up of a carousel of piston filling heads.

Filling

• 5 At the start of the filling line, empty bottles are put in a large bin called a hopper. Here,
the bottles are physically manipulated until they are correctly oriented and standing
upright. They are then moved along a conveyor belt to the filling carousel, which holds
the shampoo.
• 6 The filling carousel is made up of a series of piston filling heads that are calibrated to
deliver exactly the correct amount of shampoo into the bottles. As the bottles move
through this section of the filling line, they are filled with shampoo.
• 7 From here the bottles move to the capping machine. Much like the bin that holds the
empty bottles, the caps are also put in a hopper and then correctly aligned. As the
bottles move by the caps are put on and twisted tight.
• 8 After the caps are put on, the bottles move to the labeling machines (if necessary).
Depending on the type of labels, they can either be stuck on using adhesives or heat
pressed. Labels are stuck to the bottles as they pass by.
• 9 From the labeling area, the bottles move to the boxing area, where they are put into
boxes, typically a dozen at a time. These boxes are then stacked onto pallets and
 hauled away in large trucks to distributors. Production lines like this can move at speeds
of about 200 bottles a minute or more.

Quality Control

In addition to the initial checks to make sure the product meets specifications, other quality
control checks are made. For example, line inspectors watch the bottles at specific points on
the filling line to make sure everything looks right. They notice things like fill levels, label
placement, and whether the cap is on correctly. The product is also routinely checked to see if
there has been any microbial contamination. This is done by taking a bottle off the filling line
and sending it to the QC lab. Here, a small amount of the shampoo product is smeared onto a
plate and inoculated with bacteria and other organisms to see if they grow. Additionally, the
packaging is also checked to see if it meets specifications. Things such as bottle thickness,
appearance, and bottle weight are all checked.

The Future

Consumer product corporations will continue to manufacture new types of shampoos. These
new formulas will be driven by ever-changing consumer desires and developing chemical
technology. Currently, consumers like multi-functional shampoos, such as 2-in-I shampoos,
which provide cleansing and conditioning in one step, or shampoos that aid in styling. New
shampoos will likely provide improved conditioning, styling, and coloring while cleaning the
hair. Shampoo technology will also improve as new ingredients are developed by raw material
suppliers. Some important advances are being made in the development of compounds such
as polymers, silicones, and surfactants. These materials will be less irritating, less expensive,
more environmentally friendly, and also provide greater functionality and performance.

Shampoo manufacturer doubles capacity with cost-effective impeller mixing technology

UK hair products company doubles capacity with cost efficient agitator upgrade
With less finance available, the ability to fund new equipment to increase manufacturing
capacity has caused issues for many UK producers.
The experience of the UK’s largest own brand manufacturer of hair products suggests that
through close co-operation and using the expertise of a leading agitator producer such as
EKATO, cost-effective solutions with short ROI periods are possible. Using an existing vessel
and by upgrading the agitator assembly, Herb UK will see a return on its investment in under
eight months, reduce energy consumption and solve product aeration issues.

Since its foundation in 1990, Herb UK Ltd has manufactured a range of products that are safer
for hairdressers to use than traditional ammonia-based colours. Growing demand meant the
firm needed to increase its capacity cost effectively. The firm was using a two tonne vessel to
manufacture shampoos and cream peroxides. “Our shampoo was taking three days to mix and
is the most challenging product to produce,” says Mark D’Arcy, Herb UK’s operations
manager. “Our existing mixing equipment with large blade impellers was also leaving too much
air in the product, causing delays at the bottling stage.” The firm experimented with
recirculation pumps but the increased power consumption, product aeration and inconsistent
results led the firm to look at improving the agitator.

Since 1933, EKATO Mixing Technology has been developing mixing technologies for a range
of industries including food, pharmaceutical, petrochemical and cosmetics. The firm recently
developed the ability to accurately simulate mixing performance using scale models with a
three litre model able to reproduce the process of a 4000 litre vessel. “The most striking aspect
of complex mixing operations is the extent to which conditions can change during the course of
production,” says EKATO UK’s managing director John Smith. “There are large viscosity
ranges from minimum shear to intensive dispersion. Using a range of tools including CFD, we
are able to identify improvements, many of them quick to implement.”

According to EKATO, Viscoprop agitators are frequently the answer in demanding process
conditions such as these. “They can make it possible to combine previously separate process
steps in a single vessel, reducing cost,” adds Smith. EKATO’s EM-based solution offers Herb
UK a variable speed with the opportunity to also reverse direction, ‘pulling’ liquids off the floor
of the vessel and distributing them evenly through the batch. “Variable speed gives the
operator better control,” suggests Smith. “And for smaller batch sizes it helps minimise
splashing.”

The results achieved provided an immediate benefit. “We have been able to reduce process
time by 50 percent,” says factory manager Brian Crouch. “We can achieve 100,000 tonnes per
manufacturing year. In addition the new process is removing much of the air, reducing bottling
time and the need for a recirculation pump.”

The multi stage Viscoprop impellers helped to solve another specific issue Herb UK had been
facing. Correcting the pH value is normally done by adding an adjuster at the end of the
process but being thinner and lighter, this tended to float on the liquid surface. Typically, more
would be added to ensure consistent values through the batch. EKATO’s powerful multistage
impellers distribute the adjuster through the entire batch resulting in better consistency from
the top to the bottom of the vessel. “Mixing different densities of constituents can be a real
issue, increasing mixing time that is not value added,” suggests Smith.

Herb UK is benefitting in other ways that it hadn’t expected. “The new impellers are much
smaller,” says Crouch. “This makes the tank more accessible for removing the product and a
shorter cleaning process reduces changeover times when we switch from shampoo to
activators.”

Herb UK is already talking to EKATO about optimising Tank Two. “We achieved what we
wanted to do with Tank One,” says D’Arcy. “The customer support is second to none and is
keeping us ahead of the competition who are finally realising that natural products can work in
the salon.”