The topic is short and compact
The cleansing performance of a shampoo is not determined by the amount of foam, but by the composition of the surfactant system.
Conditioners are based on cationic surfactants and fatty alcohols that form a lamellar structure.
The viscosity of shampoos is highly salt-dependent and must be adjusted using a salt curve.
Getting started in hair care is often done via catalog products, where only the fragrance and packaging are customized. This path is fast, but leads to products that do not differ technically from the competition. As soon as a brand wants to establish its own positioning, an individual formulation development is required.
Hair care differs fundamentally from skin care. While skin care predominantly works with emulsions, hair care is based on surfactant systems, cationic conditioning, and specific polymers. The formulation logic, the testing methods, and the production requirements are different in each case. An overview of the basics can be found in the article on private label cosmetics.
Catalog product: quickly available, but without technical differentiation.
Individual formulation: own positioning, own formulation ownership, longer development time.
Separate formulation logic compared to skin care with different testing and production requirements.
The decision should be made consciously. A catalog product can be useful for a market test, but individual development is the more sustainable foundation for long-term brand building.
The transition to customized private-label hair care
Getting started in hair care is often done via catalog products, where only the fragrance and packaging are customized. This path is fast, but leads to products that do not differ technically from the competition. As soon as a brand wants to establish its own positioning, an individual formulation development is required.
Hair care differs fundamentally from skin care. While skin care predominantly works with emulsions, hair care is based on surfactant systems, cationic conditioning, and specific polymers. The formulation logic, the testing methods, and the production requirements are different in each case. An overview of the basics can be found in the article on private label cosmetics.
Catalog product: quickly available, but without technical differentiation.
Individual formulation: own positioning, own formulation ownership, longer development time.
Separate formulation logic compared to skin care with different testing and production requirements.
The decision should be made consciously. A catalog product can be useful for a market test, but individual development is the more sustainable foundation for long-term brand building.
Developing high-performance shampoos: surfactants and viscosity
The surfactant system determines the cleaning performance, foaming behavior, mildness, and viscosity of a shampoo. A common combination is a primary surfactant, which carries the cleaning performance, with a secondary surfactant, which improves mildness and foam quality, and an amphoteric surfactant, which reduces the irritancy of the system.
A common misconception concerns the foam. The amount of foam is perceived by consumers as an indicator of cleaning performance, but does not correlate with it. Grease suppresses foam, which is why the second wash cycles foams more than the first. A very mild system can clean excellently and yet foam less, which must be taken into account during product design.
Primary surfactant for cleaning performance.
Secondary surfactant for mildness and foam quality.
Amphoteric surfactant to reduce irritancy.
Salt curve for adjusting the viscosity, with a maximum and subsequent decrease.
The salt dependency of the viscosity is a typical stumbling block. The viscosity increases with the salt content up to a maximum and decreases again afterwards. Working without a salt curve results in batches with highly fluctuating viscosity. For more information, see the article on having shampoo produced.
Formulating stable conditioners: cationic systems and lamellar structure
Conditioners work on a fundamentally different principle than shampoos. They are based on cationic surfactants, which attach themselves to the hair fiber, which is negatively charged by washing. Together with fatty alcohols, these cationic surfactants form a lamellar structure that determines both the texture and the conditioning performance.
This structure does not arise automatically, but depends on the ratio between cationic surfactant and fatty alcohol, on the temperature control, and on the cooling rate. If it is cooled down too quickly, the structure is incompletely formed, and the product remains runny or separates later. Controlled cooling is therefore not a detail, but a central process parameter.
Ratio of cationic surfactant to fatty alcohol as the main control variable.
Controlled cooling for the complete formation of the lamellar structure.
Adjustment of the conditioning strength to the hair type instead of maximum dosage.
Too much conditioning leads to weighing down and rapid re-greasing, while too little leaves the hair difficult to comb. The right setting always depends on the hair type. Details on this in the article on having conditioners produced.
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Targeted Treatments: Scalp Serums, Oils, and Intensive Masks
Treatments are the segment with the highest margin and the greatest technical freedom. Scalp serums follow the logic of skincare rather than haircare, because they act on the scalp and not on the fiber. Accordingly, the requirements for skin compatibility and active ingredient stability known from facial care apply here.
Intensive masks are technically related to conditioners, but work with higher conditioning strength and a longer leave-on time. Hair oils are simple on the formulation side, but place high demands on sensory matching because the line between care and weighing down is narrow.
Scalp serums: Active ingredient stability and skin compatibility are in the foreground.
Intensive masks: higher conditioning strength with longer leave-on time.
Hair oils: simple formulation, demanding sensory matching.
For building a line, it is recommended to start with shampoo and conditioner and to add treatments in a targeted manner once the basic line is established in the market.
The role of early laboratory samples for feasibility
Hair care products can only be evaluated computationally to a limited extent. Combability, feel in wet and dry conditions, volume, and shine must be tested on real hair. Common methods include combing force measurements on standardized hair strands as well as structured application tests.
It is important that shampoo and conditioner are tested together. Both products are used sequentially in everyday life and influence each other. A conditioner that works well in isolation can lead to weighing down when combined with a specific shampoo.
Testing on real hair instead of purely instrumental evaluation.
Combing force measurement as an objective parameter.
Joint testing of shampoo and conditioner as a system.
This system test should be carried out early on, because it regularly results in adjustments to both products.
Evaluate manufacturability and scale into production
During scale-up, two points are critical for hair care. First, the viscosity adjustment of shampoos, which differs on a production scale from the laboratory due to salt dependency. Second, the temperature control of conditioners, whose lamellar structure directly depends on the cooling rate.
Both points can be controlled if they are specifically investigated in the pilot batch and the parameters are bindingly documented. The addition of salt should not be defined as a fixed formulation component, but as a regulated adjustment step at the end of the process.
Salt addition as a regulated adjustment step instead of a fixed formulation component.
Binding cooling curves for conditioners and masks.
Testing of pumpability and filling behavior at high viscosity.
Pilot batch of at least ten percent of the production batch size.
If these parameters are defined, the formulation is reproducible over any number of batches.
Hair care products are subject to the same requirements as other cosmetic products. A safety assessment, product information file, stability and compatibility testing, as well as notification in the European portal are required. Water-containing products additionally require proof of an effective preservation system.
A special feature concerns efficacy claims. Claims regarding hair growth or the treatment of hair loss quickly cross the line into medicinal products. Cosmetic claims such as improving the feel of the hair or reducing hair breakage are permissible, provided they are proven.
Complete product information file including safety assessment.
Proof of an effective preservation system for water-containing products.
Careful differentiation of cosmetic claims from medicinal claims.
Batch-related quality and release testing.
The differentiation of efficacy claims should be clarified early on because it determines both the scope of testing and the design of the packaging.
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FAQ
Does more foam mean better cleaning performance?
No. The amount of foam does not correlate with cleaning performance. Grease suppresses foam, which is why the second wash cycle foams more than the first. A very mild surfactant system can clean excellently and yet foam less. Foam is a consumer expectation, not a performance indicator.
Why does the viscosity of shampoos vary between batches?
Because the viscosity is highly salt-dependent. It increases with the salt content up to a maximum and then falls again. Without a defined salt curve and a controlled adjustment step at the end of the process, batches with highly varying viscosities are produced, even though the formulation is identical.
How do conditioners work chemically?
They are based on cationic surfactants, which attach themselves to the hair fiber that has been negatively charged by washing. Together with fatty alcohols, they form a lamellar structure that determines texture and conditioning performance. This structure depends significantly on the temperature control and the cooling rate.
Why do shampoo and conditioner need to be tested together?
Because they are used one after the other in everyday life and influence each other. A conditioner that is convincing on its own can lead to weighing hair down when combined with a certain shampoo. The system test should take place early on, as this usually results in adjustments to both products.
Is it allowed to advertise hair growth?
Claims regarding hair growth or the treatment of hair loss generally cross the line into medicinal products and are not permitted for cosmetic products. Cosmetic claims such as an improved hair feel or the reduction of hair breakage are permissible, provided they are proven for the finished product.
What should a new hair care line start with?
With shampoo and conditioner as the baseline. While treatments such as scalp serums, masks, or oils offer higher margins, they should be added once the baseline is established in the market. This significantly reduces the initial capital commitment required by minimum order quantities.
