Liquid hand soap with Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate

Formula objective. A liquid hand soap with Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate as the basis for mildness. It is designed for frequent use, with moderate cleansing and a less dry feel than more detergent systems.

Why these ingredients were chosen.

Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate contributes to a gentler feel during washing.
Supporting non-ionic or amphoteric surfactants improve foam and rinsing without aiming for excessive detergency.
Glycerine provides humectancy and improves comfort with repeated washing.
The preservative protects the aqueous formula against contamination from daily use.
pH adjustment helps keep the cosmetic formula compatible with the skin of the hands.

Intended users. Users who need a gentle hand cleanser for everyday use. It is not formulated as a sanitiser or disinfectant and must not be described as one.

Skill level. Easy level: requires correct weighing, slow mixing, pH measurement and resting before packaging.

Validation required. Validate preservation, pH, foam, smell, stability and tolerance with repeated washing.

Base formula

Include	Product	%	Quantity	Price / pack size
Gelled aqueous phase
	Distilled or deionised water	68.2 %	682 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	0.4 %	4 g	€0.47 used (1 x 30 g · purchase €3.50) Approx. leftover 26 g
Surfactants
	Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate	10 %	100 g	€1.65 used (1 x 100 ml · purchase €1.65) Approx. leftover 0 ml · fully used
	Coco Glucoside	12 %	120 g	€3.17 used (1 x 125 ml · purchase €3.30) Approx. leftover 5 ml
	Decyl Glucoside	5.6 %	56 g	€1.30 used (1 x 125 ml · purchase €2.90) Approx. leftover 69 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 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.

2 Room temperature

Add the surfactants gently

Once the aqueous phase is uniform, slowly add the Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate. Use slow movements, as though folding the mixture, to avoid filling the product with foam.

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

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

3 Room temperature

Preserve and adjust the pH

Add the preservative when the mixture is uniform and stir for at least one minute using slow movements. The preservative must be distributed throughout the formula, not left in one area.

Measure the pH and compare it with this recipe's target range: 5,2 - 6,0. 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 correct in the opposite direction.

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.

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.