Is it possible to formulate sulfate-free hygiene products?

Some time ago, sulfate-free products broke into our lives and are a choice that many consumers consider, although in this article I do not intend to value the popularity of this claim. I will try, from my experience and knowledge, help to the formulators of cosmetic to fulfil with the requirements that demands the formulation of products of hygiene sulfate-free, providing alternative to the traditional prime matters and giving some tricks to combine them successfully.In the first place, wwe are going to identify the main difficulties that a formulator faces when he has a project of this type in his hands: The price: he sulphates are used to to be tensioactivos cheap compared with the available alternatives for the products sulfate-free, by what the price can duplicate and even triplicar the one of a traditional cosmetic. The viscosity: we are used to formulating hygiene products with sulfates, amphoteric surfactants such as betaines and thickeners such as sodium chloride or non-ionic surfactants such as alkanolamides. In the case of sulphate-free products it is not so easy to reach these viscosities and sometimes traditional thickeners do not help much. The foam: sulfates are anionic surfactants that generate a lot of flue foam, although in general it decays rapidly. Even so, the consumer is looking for a similar sensory experience and it is not easy to achieve.Except for the increase of the price, that is really complicated to avoid, for the others technical problems exist interesting solutions, and day in day out the companies of prime matters follow working to improve them. There they go some of them: The utilisation of Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate like primary surfactant together with anfotéricos like Cocamidopropyl Betaine or Coco-Betaine allows to obtain bases for formulas of geles or shampoos that can thicken by means of the control of the pH. The optimum pH for a suitable viscosity for this combination of surfactant finds between 5,0 and 5,5. Above or below these limits viscosity decays dramatically. In general, this pH is usually adjusted with organic acids such as citrus or lactic. The anionics surfactants derived of amino acids are one of the most used options. Sarcosinates, glutamates and glycinates can turn into good allies when they combine with oxides of amine,betaines or crocamphodiacetates. Another widely used option would be the isetionatos like tensioactivo primary. Sulfosuccinate and alkylpoliglucosidesare options very interesting to contribute viscosity and stabilise the foam in the formulas sulfate-free. In this case they are used to use like surfactants secondary. When it needs a durable foam, the Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate is one very good election, since the stability of the foam that generates surpasses notably to the one of other surfactants derived of amino acids, like sarcosinates or glutamates. However, the pH of the formulation process and therefore of the final product cannot fall below 6,5-7 or the surfactant will decompose. They exist thickeners of natural origin as for example the Myristyl Lactate or the Lauryl Lactate that they are able to thicken formulas that combine sarcosinates, glutamates or glicinates with Cocamidopropyl Betaine. Besides, these thickeners help to the sensory experience of the final consumer, especially if we speak of shampoos: the Myristyl Lactate has a known effect conditioner thanks to its myristic chain and improves wet and dry styling, among other properties. Other thickeners used are those based on the combination of ethoxylated fatty alcohols such as Laureth-2 and products such as PEG-90 Glyceryl Isostearate, although many formulators do not consider these options because, At times, sulfate-free claims are often accompanied by others such as PEG-free.And to you, what difficulties make you sleepless when you form without sulfates?

Is it possible to formulate sulfate-free hygiene products?

Carmina Alfonso Padilla

Director of Global Corporate Development en Zschimmer & Schwarz