Gentle shower gel for sensitive skin with SugaNate

Formula objective. A shower gel for sensitive skin with SugaNate as the main surfactant. The formula aims for gentle daily cleansing, pleasant foam and greater comfort than more traditional anionic systems.

Why these ingredients were chosen.

SugaNate provides the main cleansing base and allows a mild profile to be developed within a rinse-off product.
The co-surfactants are chosen to reinforce foam and improve the feeling during use without displacing the main ingredient.
The humectants help reduce tightness and improve the feel afterwards.
The gelling agent provides a manageable texture for showering.
The preservative and pH adjustment protect the aqueous formula and help ensure skin compatibility.

Intended users. Normal, dry or sensitive skin seeking a gentle shower gel, without presenting it as a therapeutic product.

Skill level. Easy level: manufacture is accessible, but requires pH control, slow mixing and resting before evaluating viscosity.

Validation required. Validate pH, foam, rinsing, viscosity stability, preservation and tolerance in rinse-off use.

Base formula

Include	Product	%	Quantity	Price / pack size
Gelled aqueous phase
	Distilled or deionised water	61.85 %	618.5 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
	SugaNate 160NC	12 %	120 g	€4.70 used (1 x 125 ml · purchase €4.90) Approx. leftover 5 ml
	Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate	8 %	80 g	€1.32 used (1 x 100 ml · purchase €1.65) Approx. leftover 20 ml
	Coco Betaine	8 %	80 g	€1.57 used (1 x 125 ml · purchase €2.45) Approx. leftover 45 ml
	Decyl Glucoside	6 %	60 g	€1.39 used (1 x 125 ml · purchase €2.90) 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

1 Room temperature

Prepare the workspace

Clean the worktop, mixing beaker, spatula and final container. Have all the ingredients weighed before starting. It is better to work slowly than to try to correct the formula once it is made.

2 Room temperature

Mix the glycerine and gum

Put the glycerine in a beaker and sprinkle the xanthan gum over it. Stir until you can no longer see dry clumps. This step helps prevent lumps from forming in the gel later.

3 Room temperature

Add the water little by little

Add the water in 3 or 4 portions, stirring gently each time. If lumps appear, do not whisk: leave to rest for 10 minutes and stir again. The mixture may seem runny at first; it will thicken a little during resting.

4 Room temperature

Incorporate the surfactants without creating foam

Add SugaNate, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Coco Betaine and Decyl Glucoside one at a time. Stir slowly, as though folding the mixture. Do not use a blender, as it would fill the gel with foam and make it difficult to see the texture properly.

5 Room temperature

Preserve and measure the pH

Add the preservative and mix slowly for 1 minute. Measure the pH. If it is above the range, add diluted citric acid drop by drop, mix and measure again. Do not pour it in all at once.

Final Room temperature

Allow to rest and check the following day

Cover the beaker and leave to rest for 24 hours. The next day, check that it is uniform, smells normal, has not separated and has a viscosity you like. If everything is correct, package it and label with the preparation date.

Preservation, shelf life and 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.

Leave blank

Question about the recipe Possible error or correction Suggested improvement

Name Email for our reply

Message Email me when this message receives a reply.

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.