ShAMpoooooooooooo............. 
Shampoo is a type of cleaning agent that is used on hair. In most cases, the cleaning agent comes dissolved in a liquid. The liquid solution is massaged into wet hair, and creates a lather that breaks up deposits of oil and dirt. The lather is then rinsed from the hair after a few minutes, leaving the hair clean.Shampoos have a number of qualities that should be considered before use. How well a shampoo cleans is very important, and individual brands usually come in slightly different formulations for either “normal” or “oily” hair. The fragrance that a shampoo leaves in the hair is also a major consideration, and is why scented shampoos are so popular. Other factors often taken into account include how shiny the shampoo makes the hair, possible irritation of the scalp, toxicity, price, if organic ingredients have been used, and whether or not the shampoo has been tested on animals.There are many different categories of specialty shampoos, with each type claiming to have properties beyond cleaning hair. A few of these categories are: lice killing shampoos that help get rid of lice infestations; anti-dandruff shampoos that often contain fungicides, chemicals that can assist in removing white flakes in hair; clarifying shampoos that remove hair-care product buildup; baby shampoos that are specially formulated to be gentle; thickening shampoos that purport to make hair fuller; straightening shampoos that make hair less curly; 2-in-1 shampoos that contain conditioners; and dry shampoos that can be used without water.Modern shampoo is not made out of traditional soap. Although earlier versions did use soap shavings, traditional soap-based shampoo made hair dull and irritated the scalp. Modern shampoo is formulated using chemicals and fragrances that balance the ability to clean hair with other factors including scalp irritation and superficial look. By leaving some oil in the hair, being slightly acidic, rinsing cleanly, and not irritating the skin, the chemical composition of modern shampoo has shown itself to be far superior to that of the soap-based original.
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.
-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.
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.
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.
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 canalso 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
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.
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