Sodium cocoyl isethionate (anionic): a very mild foaming substance made with coconut. I chose the variant of fine powder to make it easier to process it in the bars. This substance is often referred to as baby foam, which confirms the mildness of this product.
To make the bars even milder, it is better to combine materials that have different ‘loads’ (anionic, non-ionic or amphoteric, a little bit of chemistry never hurt anyone). This is the reason that I combine three different foaming substances in my shampoo bars.
Disodium cocoyl amphodiacetate (amphoteric): this is the second foaming agent I use in the bars, also made with coconut. I consciously chose to use this agent because I myself am allergic to cocoamidopropyl betain.
Decyl Glucoside (non-ionic): the third foaming agent is also very mild for the skin. This substance is made by a chemical reaction between glucose of cornstarch and the fatty alcohol called caprine alcohol, which is derived from coconut and/or palm oil.
Cetearyl alcohol and stearic acid: both are fatty acids and their function is to make all the ingredients easy to mix together to make hard beautiful bars. They both boost the foaming properties and give the skin and the hair a shiny, soft feel.
Hydrogenated rapeseedoil: this is rapeseed oil which has been processed to a hard wax so it adds hardness to the bars but also has a moisturizing function.
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate: made by combining different vegetable oils and citric acid, it is the emulsifier which binds the substances in the bars together and also adds moisture to the hair, win-win.
Grapeseed oil: a very light vegetable oil full of anti-oxidants and vitamins for strong, shiny hair.
Glycerin: indispensable as a humectant, it hydrates the hair and pulls fluids from the air to keep the hair hydrated for a longer period of time
theobroma cacao butter: this vegetable butter nourishes the hair and adds conditioning properties
isoamyl laurate : this is an ester and functions as a silicone but as a natural, harmless version. It boosts conditioning properties and makes hair easier to comb.
Benzyl alcohol en Dehydroacetic acid: a shampoo bar does not necessarily need a preservative but in my opinion there should not be a possibility left open for mold and bacteria to grow on the bars so I decided to use preservatives in my bars. It is one of the mildest preservatives on the market and it is Cosmo and Ecocert approved. Both substances are also being used in a very small quantity.
Sodium phytate, aqua, alcohol: this is the complex sodium salt of phytic acid, made by the seeds of grains, vegetables and nuts. It is used in the bars because it can attach itself to minerals and impurities which is very important for regions having very hard water.
Lactic acid: it is very important that a shampoo bar has a certain PH value (this value should be between 4,5 and 6 to comply with the acidic values of our skin and hair). I use lactic acid in my bars to alter the values until they are perfect for the hair. It also contributes to cleaning the scalp, so again, a win-win.
ulva lactuca: better known as sea salad, a seaweed with lots of vitamins, amino acids and minerals. It is packed with goodies from the sea which nourish the hair.
