Gentle shower gel with Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate

This recipe shows another side of the ingredient: we start with powdered Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate, but adjust the final formula to an acidic pH compatible with a gentle shower gel. Below pH 7,5, the technical data sheet indicates that it should be considered Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate. This is why the recipe is named accordingly and pH control is not optional. The betaine helps soften the feel, and the xanthan provides body. This is an aqueous formula: it needs a preservative and stability and microbiological validation.

Base formula

Include	Product	%	Quantity	Price / pack size
Gelled aqueous phase
	Distilled or demineralised water	81 %	810 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	0.6 %	6 g	€0.70 used (1 x 30 g · purchase €3.50) Approx. leftover 24 g
Surfactant system
	Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate	8 %	80 g	€7.64 used (1 x 100 g · purchase €9.55) Approx. leftover 20 g
	Coco Betaine	6 %	60 g	€1.18 used (1 x 125 ml · purchase €2.45) Approx. leftover 65 ml
Preservation and pH
	Geogard 221 / Cosgard Preservative	0.8 %	8 g	€1.64 used (1 x 10 ml · purchase €2.05) Approx. leftover 2 ml
	80% lactic acid	0.6 %	6 g	€0.19 used (1 x 50 ml · purchase €1.55) Approx. leftover 44 ml

Step by step

1 Room temperature

Prepare the utensils and weigh the water

Disinfect the worktop, beakers, spatulas and container. This formula does contain water, so the main concern is no longer just that it looks good: it must be properly preserved and stable.
Weigh the water for phase A into a large beaker. Set aside a small amount of the water if needed to help dissolve the powdered surfactant.

2 Room temperature

Disperse the gum in glycerine

Mix the xanthan gum with the glycerine to form a smooth paste. This prevents the gum from falling directly into the water and forming lumps that are difficult to break up.
Once the paste is uniform, add the water little by little and mix until it starts to hydrate.

3 Room temperature

Dissolve Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate

Add the Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate little by little. Do not add it all at once: as a powder, it can form small clumps, and it also generates foam if mixed too energetically.
Stir slowly until incorporated. If the mixture fills with bubbles, stop and leave to rest for a few minutes before continuing.

4 Room temperature

Add the betaine

Add the coco betaine slowly. In this formula, it does not compete with the glutamate: it accompanies it to improve the feeling of mildness and modulate the foam.
Mix without a blender. If you whisk, it will look as though you have created volume, but you will only be introducing air, making viscosity and pH harder to measure.

5 Room temperature

Add the preservative and begin adjusting the pH

Add the preservative and mix until fully distributed. Do not leave it until after the pH adjustment without checking compatibility: the preservative and pH must work together.
Start adjusting with lactic acid very gradually. Lower it in stages, mix, wait a few minutes and measure again.

6 Room temperature

Confirm the pH and INCI change

The indicative target is pH 5,5-6,2. In this range, according to the technical data sheet, it should no longer be described in the text as Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate, but as Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate.
Record the final pH. Then leave to rest for 24 hours and measure again, as systems with powdered surfactants may stabilise slowly.

Final Room temperature

Allow to rest, observe and package

Leave to rest so that the air can escape. Observe transparency, separation, changes in smell, loss of viscosity and residual foam.
Only package once the mixture is homogeneous. To sell it or store it for long periods, preservation, stability and packaging compatibility must be validated.

Preservation, shelf life and validation

Indicative aqueous rinse-off formula. Disinfect the utensils and container.
Avoid inhaling the Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate during the initial weighing.
Do not use if the smell, colour or texture changes, or abnormal separation appears.

Questions, improvements and possible corrections

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