How to Customize Our Shampoo Bases for Hair Types

A formulator performs many tests on a specific hair type with a shampoo formulation. It can be expensive and time consuming formulating and making many sample batches. In the Professional Natural Hair Care Course there are tried and true formulations that students easily customize. These formulations can be customized to a premium salon shampoo by using hair additives. You can customize a shampoo formulation easily using a similar system like we do. It can save you lots of time and money.  You can make samples from your shampoo base and customize with additives. Try them on the hair to see what performs best on that hair type.

Adjust the shampoo base formula and subtract the % of additive from the water amount. If you are using 1%, subtract 1%, 2% subtract 2%, 3% subtract 3%. It’s best to not go over 3% trying additives. The formula will not be 100% because you are adding extracts to the completed shampoo batch. Make your shampoo base. Divide the shampoo batch. Example: Trying 2% additives. Divide the shampoo in half, weigh it into equal amounts. For a batch of 50 ounces or 1417 grams, each half will be about 24 ounces or 680 grams. Multiply the halved amount by 2% for the amount of additive to add = 0.48 ounce or  13.6 grams.

In this video, we are trying one additive in the batch for fine hair, and three additives in the batch for medium hair.

For Type 1A, fine hair, we are using Bamboo Bioferment at 2%. It adds slip like a silicone, improvees wet combability resulting in smooth hair, and adds moisture to the hair and does not weigh the hair down.

For Type 2B, medium hair, we are using two vegan keratins and barley quat. The Vegan Keratin contains quinoa and good for color retention and the VegeKeratin (aka Fision KeraVeg18) for strength, elasticity, and manageability with a smooth combing with wet and dry hair. We used Vegan Keratin at 1% and VegeKeratin (aka Fision KeraVeg18) at 1%, and Barley Quat at 1% for a total of 3% of additives.

Pro Natural Hair Course Easy Steps for Customizing Shampoo Bases for Hair Types

Step 1

Choose Shampoo Base:

Pick Shampoo System #1, or Shampoo System #2, or Plant Keratin ,or Volumizing, or Hydrating Shampoo.

Step 2

Choose Additives for Shampoo:

Choose 1-2 additives. Choose additives to customize the shampoo base for hair type, texture, and porosity. Pick additives for detangling, slip, strengthening, volumizing, hydrating, color protecting, or repairing. Refer to the Hair Additives Chart for choosing additives, Shampoo Build Chart, and Shampoo Build Worksheet.

Step 3

Build Your Custom Shampoo Formula

Build your shampoo with the shampoo base and additives. Refer to the Shampoo Build Chart for where to add your additives to the formula and the approximate usage rate or refer to the supplier for the usage rate. Reduce the water amount by 1-3%, the amount of additives you are adding. Subtract the amount of additives you are adding from the water amount.

Step 4

Make Your Custom Shampoo

Make a sample batch of your custom shampoo. Try it. Make one adjustment at a time to the formulation until you love your shampoo.

Customize for Hair Types

Here are a few suggestions and examples for customizing a shampoo with additives.

Straight Hair   Type 1A, 1B, 1C

Best shampoo for straight, fine hair: Shampoo Base #1, Shampoo Base #2,  Volumizing Shampoo, and Clarifying Shampoo

Additives:
Refer to Hair Additives Chart, Shampoo Build Chart, and Shampoo Build Worksheet

Extracts: 
Bamboo, Chamomile, Rhodiola Rosea

Split Ends Repair:
Hydrolyzed Protein

Wavy Hair   Type 2A, 2B, 2C

Best for wavy hair: Shampoo Base #1, Shampoo Base #2,Plant Keratin Shampoo, Hydrating Shampoo, Volumizing Shampoo, Clarifying Shampoo for build-up on hair and scalp

Additives:
Refer to Hair Additives Chart, Shampoo Build Chart, and Shampoo Build Worksheet.
Extracts:
Bamboo, Gingko Biloba, Rhodiola Rosea

Plant Oils/Butter: 
Almond Oil, Argan Oil, Avocado Oil, Baobab Oil, Castor Oil, Coconut Oil, Shea Butter

Repair and Split Ends: 
Hydrolyzed Protein

Curly Hair   Type 3A, 3B, 3C

Shampoo Base #1, Shampoo Base #2, Hydrating Shampoo, Plant Keratin Shampoo, Clarifying Shampoo for build-up on hair and scalp

Additives:
Refer to Hair Additives Chart, Shampoo Build Chart, and Shampoo Build Worksheet.
Moisture:
Aloe Vera, Panthenol

Extracts:
Bamboo, Cucumber, Gingko Biloba Leaf, Green Tea, Rosemary

Slip and Repair:
Hydrolyzed Protein

Plant Oils/Butter: 
Almond Oil, Argan oil, Avocado Oil, Castor Oil, Coconut Oil, Shea Butter

Coily Hair   Type 4A, 4B, 4C

Shampoo Base #1, Shampoo Base #2, Hydrating Shampoo, Plant Keratin, Clarifying Shampoo for build-up on hair and scalp

Additives:
Refer to Hair Additives Chart, Shampoo Build Chart, and Shampoo Build Worksheet.
Hydrators: 
Humectants

Extracts:
Artichoke Leaf, Gingko Biloba Leaf, Sea Moss (Irish Moss), Rosemary

Slip and Repair:
Hydrolyzed Proteins

Plant Oils/Butter: 
Almond Oil, Argan Oil, Avocado Oil, Camellia Oil, Castor Oil, Coconut Oil, Shea Butter

Locs

Best Shampoo; Clarifying Shampoo

Additives:
Refer to Hair Additives Chart, Shampoo Build Chart, and Shampoo Build Worksheet.

Baby

Best Shampoo: Baby Shampoo

Additives:
Refer to Hair Additives Chart, Shampoo Build Chart, and Shampoo Build Worksheet.