Comfort shower gel with Sodium Cocoyl Wheat Polypeptide

A rinse-off shower gel designed to test the protein-based surfactant as the main cleansing base, with a more comfortable feel than a highly detergent system. The main ingredient is Sodium Cocoyl Wheat Polypeptide. The recipe is designed around it as the core of the cleansing system, rather than a token addition. The other ingredients help adjust texture, foam, comfort in use and preservation. Why it is designed this way: - The protein-based surfactant is used at 30% and has the main cleansing role. - Coco Betaine remains a supporting ingredient for mildness and foam. - Glycerine and panthenol help improve the feel after rinsing. - The formula avoids fragrance so that tolerance can be evaluated more clearly. Easy level: requires precise weighing, slow mixing to avoid filling the formula with air, and a final pH check. This is an indicative suggestion; before continued use or marketing, stability, preservation, pH, viscosity, container compatibility, foam and tolerance must be validated.

Base formula

Include	Product	%	Quantity	Price / pack size
Aqueous phase
	Distilled water	57.8 %	57.8 g	Manual addition
	Vegetable glycerine	4 %	4 g	€0.09 used (1 x 125 g · purchase €2.90) Approx. leftover 121 g
	Clear Xanthan Gum	0.4 %	0.4 g	€0.05 used (1 x 30 g · purchase €3.50) Approx. leftover 29.6 g
Surfactant phase
	Sodium Cocoyl Wheat Polypeptide	30 %	30 g	€0.76 used (1 x 125 ml · purchase €3.15) Approx. leftover 95 ml
	Coco Betaine	5 %	5 g	€0.10 used (1 x 125 ml · purchase €2.45) Approx. leftover 120 ml
Final phase and pH
	Provitamin B5 - Panthenol W75%	2 %	2 g	€0.36 used (1 x 25 g · purchase €4.45) Approx. leftover 23 g
	Geogard 221 / Cosgard Preservative	0.8 %	0.8 g	€0.16 used (1 x 10 ml · purchase €2.05) Approx. leftover 9.2 ml

Step by step

1 Room temperature

Prepare the workspace and equipment

Before weighing anything, clean the worktop and disinfect the beakers, spatulas, stirring rods, thermometer, pH meter or pH strips, and final container.

Keep the formula in front of you and check that every ingredient is identified. This step may seem basic, but it prevents almost all simple mistakes: mixing up a surfactant, forgetting the preservative or having to look for something while the mixture is uncovered.

2 Room temperature

Prepare the aqueous phase

Weigh the water into a clean beaker. In another small container, mix the glycerine with the xanthan gum, if included in the recipe, until it is thoroughly wetted.

Gradually add this premix to the water and stir until there are no visible dry lumps. Leave it to rest for a few minutes so that the texture starts to develop.

3 Room temperature

Add the main surfactant

First incorporate the recipe's main surfactant. Do this slowly and gently, without a blender, to avoid filling the beaker with foam.

Once incorporated, check that the mixture is uniform before adding the next ingredient. With surfactants, adding them one at a time usually leads to far fewer surprises.

4 Room temperature

Add the supporting surfactants

Now add the secondary surfactants in the formula, one at a time. Mix after each addition until you can no longer see separate areas.

If too much foam forms, stop. There is no harm in waiting five minutes: a formula with less air is easier to measure and package.

5 <35 ºC

Add the final phase

When the mixture is uniform and below 35 ºC, add the preservative and sensitive ingredients, such as panthenol if it appears in the formula.

Mix patiently. The aim is to distribute the ingredients evenly, not to whisk them.

6 Room temperature

Measure and adjust the pH

Measure the pH at the end, not at the beginning. The indicative target for this recipe is 5.0-5.6.

If you need to lower the pH, use a dilute solution of lactic acid or citric acid and add it very gradually. Mix, wait a few minutes and measure again before adding more. If you need to raise it, likewise make dilute, controlled adjustments.

Final Room temperature

Package and validate

Transfer to a clean, dry container and label it with the name, date and amount prepared.

Leave to rest for 24 hours before assessing viscosity and foam. Then check over several days that the smell, colour, pH and texture do not change and that no separation appears.

Preservation, shelf life and validation

Indicative formula for external, rinse-off use. Work with clean, disinfected utensils, a clean container and protected hands.
Do not use the formula if its smell, colour or texture changes, or if unusual separation appears.

Questions, improvements and possible corrections

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