In the United States, there is currently no regulation in place for what ingredients can be included in organic shampoos. These shampoos typically contain ingredients that are perceived as safe and environmentally friendly, but they have a tendency to separate and spoil more quickly than shampoos made with synthetic stabilizers and preservatives. Researchers in the field of ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering have discovered a simple solution to this problem – spinning organic shampoo at high speeds. This process has been shown to improve the shelf life of organic shampoo and enhance its ability to clean hair effectively.
Natural emulsifiers, such as xanthan gum and cetyl alcohol, are sometimes used in organic shampoos to prevent separation and create a soapy lather. However, these natural emulsifiers do not remain effective for as long as synthetic emulsifiers found in conventional haircare products. Researchers, including Youhong Tang and Colin Raston, have turned to a technology known as a vortex fluidic device (VFD) to see if high-speed spinning could improve the stability and lather of organic shampoo without the need for additional chemicals. The team found that this method could be a sustainable way to enhance the quality of organic shampoos.
Previous research had shown that VFD’s intense micromixing capabilities were effective in producing clean biodiesel and homogenizing raw milk. However, this technology had not been tested on more viscous liquids, such as shampoos, until now. By spinning store-bought organic shampoo in the VFD at specific conditions, the researchers were able to prevent color changes and separation in the product over a 30-day period. Additionally, the spun shampoo was found to have a longer-lasting lather and cleaned hair more thoroughly than the unprocessed shampoo. This demonstrated that VFD processing could be a one-step technique for improving the stability of emulsified viscous liquids.
The researchers plan to further investigate how the VFD processing affects the individual components in organic shampoos, such as natural surfactants and botanical extracts. By understanding these interactions, they hope to develop a more refined technique that can be applied to a wider range of natural personal care products and cosmetics. This work has been made possible through funding from the Australian Research Council Industrial Transformation Training Centre for Green Chemistry in Manufacturing and Plantworx Pty Ltd. The team is dedicated to finding sustainable solutions for improving the quality and longevity of organic personal care products.
