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Shower gel for delicate skin with Decyl Glucoside
Beginner
Shower gel

Shower gel for delicate skin with Decyl Glucoside

Fragrance-free suggestion, with Decyl Glucoside as the main mild surfactant.

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Formula objective. A shower gel for delicate skin in which Decyl Glucoside is the main surfactant. The formula aims for effective but moderate cleansing, with gentle foam and a comfortable final feel.

Why these ingredients were chosen.

  • Decyl Glucoside is chosen as the non-ionic base for its good balance of detergency, foam and tolerance in rinse-off products.
  • Coco Betaine acts as a co-surfactant to improve foam and soften the perceived feel of the system.
  • Glycerine provides humectancy and reduces the feeling of tightness after showering.
  • Xanthan gum helps achieve a controllable gel texture that is easy to reproduce.
  • pH adjustment is important to bring the formula into a cosmetic range comfortable for the skin.

Intended users. Normal to delicate skin seeking a simple shower gel without a high fragrance load or complex active ingredients.

Skill level. Easy level: this is a suitable formula for learning to build a liquid surfactant system with glucosides, always measuring pH and avoiding vigorous beating.

Validation required. Validate pH, viscosity after resting, foam, rinsing, preservative compatibility and tolerance. The proposed formula is a starting point, not a validated commercial formula.

Base formula

Include Product % Quantity Price / pack size
Gelled aqueous phase
Distilled or deionised water
67.85 % 678.5 g Manual addition
Liquid vegetable glycerine
3 % 30 g €0.70 used (1 x 125 g · purchase €2.90) Approx. leftover 95 g
Clear Xanthan Gum
0.35 % 3.5 g €0.41 used (1 x 30 g · purchase €3.50) Approx. leftover 26.5 g
Surfactants
Decyl Glucoside
14 % 140 g €2.63 used (1 x 250 ml · purchase €4.70) Approx. leftover 110 ml
Coco Glucoside
8 % 80 g €2.11 used (1 x 125 ml · purchase €3.30) Approx. leftover 45 ml
Coco Betaine
6 % 60 g €1.18 used (1 x 125 ml · purchase €2.45) Approx. leftover 65 ml
Preservation and pH adjustment
Geogard 221 / Cosgard
0.8 % 8 g €1.64 used (1 x 10 ml · purchase €2.05) Approx. leftover 2 ml
Citric acid in a 20% solution
0 % 0 c.n. Manual addition

Step by step

Prepare a lump-free aqueous phase 1 Room temperature

Prepare a lump-free aqueous phase

Start with a clean, disinfected mixing beaker, spatula and final container. Water-based formulas are not a place to improvise: weigh everything before you start and work calmly.

If the formula contains xanthan gum, mix it with the glycerine or humectants first. This wets the gum evenly and makes lumps much less likely to form.

Add the water gradually, in several additions, mixing gently after each one. If you see small lumps, do not whisk vigorously: leave it to rest for a few minutes and stir again until the base looks uniform.

Add the surfactants gently 2 Room temperature

Add the surfactants gently

When the aqueous phase is uniform, slowly incorporate the Decyl Glucoside. Use slow, folding movements to avoid filling the product with foam.

Then add the remaining surfactants one at a time. Wait until each ingredient is well distributed before incorporating the next; this gives you better control of the texture and avoids concentrated areas.

In gels and liquid soaps, foam during manufacture can be very misleading. Mix slowly and allow the product to rest before deciding whether it is too runny.

Preserve and adjust the pH 3 Room temperature

Preserve and adjust the pH

Add the preservative once the mixture is homogeneous and stir slowly for at least one minute. The preservative must be distributed throughout the formula, rather than remaining in one area.

Measure the pH and compare it with this recipe's target range: 5,2 - 5,8. If it is high, adjust with a 20% citric acid solution, drop by drop.

After each drop, mix and measure again. The pH does not always change immediately, so it is better to proceed slowly than to overshoot and have to adjust in the opposite direction.

Allow to rest, check and package Final

Allow to rest, check and package

Cover the beaker and leave the formula to rest for 24 hours. This allows the foam to subside, the gum to finish hydrating and the true viscosity to be assessed.

The next day, check the smell, colour, separation, lumps, clarity or opalescence, and texture. If anything changes unexpectedly, do not package it yet: first understand what has happened.

If everything is correct, transfer it to a clean container and label it with the name, date, final pH and any observations useful for repeating or improving the formula.

Preservation, shelf life and validation

  • Work with clean, disinfected utensils. Avoid whisking the surfactants so that excessive foam does not form during manufacture.
  • Always measure the final pH before considering the formula finished. Do not use the recipe on children, mucous membranes or the eye area without specific validation.

Questions, improvements and possible corrections

If you have a question about this recipe, notice a possible error or would like to suggest an improvement, please let us know here.

We review messages before publishing them. Please do not include personal data or medical questions; if the answer could help others, we will publish it as an answered question.