Shri Sharanbasveshwar College of Pharmacy, Vijayapura, Karnataka, India.
The most typical hair treatment is cleaning. Shampoos are products that are generally used to clean the hair and scalp. Shampooing is an art by which sebum or grease produced by sebaceous glands are rinsed off from hairs making them dirt/oil free. The main goal of this study was to replace risky ingredients in shampoo formulations with a secure natural product. The study's objectives included developing a pure herbal shampoo and assessing and contrasting its physicochemical properties with those of commercially available synthetic and herbal shampoos. The herbal shampoo was formulated by adding the extracts of amla, bhringraj, curry leaves, reetha and shikakai in different proportions to water. A small amount of methylparaben was added as a preservative and pH was adjusted with citric acid. Several tests such as visual inspection, pH, wetting time, % of solid contents, foam volume and stability, surface tension, detergency, dirt dispersion, etc, were performed to determine the physicochemical properties of both prepared and marketed shampoos. The results clearly indicate that the formulated shampoo is having a satisfactory conditioning performance level. All the ingredients used to formulate shampoo are safer and the physicochemical evaluation showed ideal results, but further research is required to improve its quality and identify the constituents that are responsible for the performance.
Cosmetics are items designed to be applied to the body in order to cleanse, enhance attractive traits, and beautify or change the look. They are articles with mild action on the human body, which are intended to be applied through rubbing, sprinkling, or other methods, aiming to clean, beautify and increase attractiveness, alter the appearance, or keep the skin or hair in good condition. The herbal shampoo is a cosmetic preparation that uses herbs from plants and it is meant for washing hair and scalp just like a regular shampoo [1]. It serves as an alternative to commercially available synthetic shampoo. Herbal lists today, believe in helping people build their good health with the help of natural sources. In the early days, a shampoo could be defined as an effective cleansing agent for hair and scalp, but in the present scenario, the shampoo must do much more functions [2]. It must leave the hair easy to comb, lustrous, radiant, and controllable whilst being convenient and easy to use. Shampoo is a mixture of a surfactant (surface active ingredient) in an appropriate liquid, solid, or powder form that, when used as directed, will remove surface grease, grime, and skin debris from the hair shaft and scalp without negatively affecting the user's hair, scalp, or health. Shampoo is a hair care treatment used to get rid of contaminants including dandruff, oils, grime, skin fragments, and other contaminants that slowly accumulate in hair [3]. Evaluation of shampoos comprises quality control tests including visual assessment and physiochemical controls such as pH, density, and viscosity. The difference is more likely to be a reduced amount of oil or conditioning agent in shampoo for oily hair or the difference may even just be the packaging. Today’s market is full of various chemically composed products. There are several herbal shampoos also available with chemical composition in the market today. Those are effective for hair problems but are also indebted for hair loss [4].
Herbal Shampoo
Human hairs
Parts of the Hair
Dermal papillae: The dermal papilla is responsible regulating the hair cycle and hair growth, and is also comprised of androgen receptors that are Sensitive to the presence of DHT.[8]
Matrix: The matrix surrounds the dermal papillae and contains all the active needed for hair Growth and for the development of the different Parts of the hair, particularly the outer root sheath. The inner root sheath and the hair shaft combined. The matrix and the dermal papillae make up the hair.
Figure No.01 Human Hair Structure
Bulb Outer root sheath: The outer root sheath, or, is the outermost part of the hair and is Keratinized. Inner root sheath: internal root sheath is comprised of three parts: the Henley layer, Huxley layer, and Cuticle.
Ideal Properties of Herbal Shampoo:
Functions of Shampoo:
Classification of Shampoo:[11]
• Herbal shampoo
• Egg shampoo
ADVANTAGES:[12]
DISADVANTAGES:[13]
• Frequent or improper use can remove the scalp's natural oils, leading to dryness, flakiness, and potential irritation.
• Some harsh ingredients in shampoos, such as sulfates, can strip hair of its protective oils, leading to dryness, breakage, and split ends.
• Certain chemicals can cause redness, itching, or allergic reactions on sensitive scalps.
• Some ingredients, like certain sulfates, have been linked to decreased new hair growth and hair loss.
• Other ingredients, like silicones, can accumulate on the scalp and hair, hindering moisture and nutrient circulation and potentially causing dandruff.
• The plastic packaging from shampoo bottles contributes to pollution, and some chemical ingredients can negatively impact the environment.
• Regularly purchasing and using shampoo and associated products like conditioner requires both financial investment and time.
Aim And Objectives
Aim: There is limited information available in the literature regarding the investigation of Emblica officinalis, Acacia concinna, and Sapindus mukorossi extracts for herbal shampoo formulation.
Objectives
REVIEW OF LITERATURE:
Shampoos were mainly intended for hair and scalp washing. Since ancient times people have been using herbs to clean, beautify and treat hair. It is the most prevalent type of hair care. Shampoos were mainly items intended for hair and scalp washing. In the current situation, it seems unlikely that herbal shampoos would be popular with customers, even though they are better in consistency and healthier than conventional ones. A more progressive method would be to mold the preferences of customers from a shampoo, with a focus on health and effectiveness. The present research focuses on the preparation and evaluation of anti-dandruff cosmetic shampoo.[14]
Hair is an important part of the body appeal and its look is a health indicator. Accordingly, recent advances in hair science and hair care technologies have been reported in literature claiming innovations and strategies for hair treatments and cosmetic products. The treatment of hair and scalp, primarily, involved the use of shampoo for an effective, but gentle cleansing; however, for years, the shampoo is considered not only as a cosmetic product having the purifying purpose, but it is also responsible for maintaining the health and the beauty of hair, imparting gloss and improving manageability. For meeting the needs of a multitasking formulation, following also the recent marketing-trend addressed to the "natural world", new challenges for cosmetic technology are aimed towards the research of natural ingredients, as well as new techniques for shampoo formulation. Regarding the recent development of solid shampoos, little information is available about their use, formulation and advantages. This review is largely focused on the description of solid shampoos, mainly based on the use of clays, herbs or flours as washing bases alternative to the traditional ones, consisting of a combination of synthetic surfactants, together with other usual ingredients expected in a shampoo formulation.[15]
Shampoo is a hair care product. Shampoos are used not only for cleansing of hair but also for control of hair fall, dandruff, frizz, or to prevent damage to excessive oily or dry scalp etc. The shampoo contains various ingredients such as cleansing agent, preservative, foaming agent, sometimes antifungal or antibacterial agent etc. It is reported that some of these agents like antifungal agents show side effects like irritation, loss of hair, itching, increased scaling, nausea, and headache. Hence it is necessary to formulate the shampoo with the minimal side effects. Therefore, the present study is aimed at formulating the shampoo which is chemical free and instead contains the herbal extracts which can be the best alternative against the chemical-based shampoos and also may show better safety and efficacy. The formulated shampoo contains the herbal extracts of Azadirachta indica, Zingiber officinale, Citrus limon, Parkinsonia aculeata, Emblica officinalis and Ocimum sanctum and other ingredients required for shampoo base. The formulation was then evaluated by several tests like visual inspection, pH, Percentage of solids contents, Dirt dispersion, viscosity, Foaming ability and foam stability, Surface tension etc. [16]
A shampoo is a cleaning aid for the hair and is counted amongst the foremost beauty products. Shampoo is a hair care product that is used for the removal of oils, skin particles, dandruff, environmental pollutants and other contaminant particles that gradually build up in hair. The goal of using shampoo is to remove the unwanted build up without stripping out so much sebum as to make hair unmanageable. Shampoo is generally made by combining a surfactant, most often sodium lauryl sulfate or sodium laureth sulfate, with a co-surfactant, most often cocamidopropyl betaine in water to form a thick, viscous liquid. Other essential ingredients include salt (sodium chloride), which is used to adjust the viscosity, a preservative and fragrance. Today’s shampoo formulations are beyond the stage of pure cleaning of the hair. Additional benefits are expected, e.g. conditioning, smoothing of the hair surface, good health of hair, i.e., hair free of dandruff, dirt, grease and lice and all, its safety benefits are expected. As the scalp is one of the most highly permeable part of the body, products applied to the scalp go directly to the blood, without being filtered in any way. So, it is very important to know and understand the effects of ingredients used in shampoo formulations. Proteolysis is the directed degradation (digestion) of proteins by cellular enzymes called proteases or by intramolecular digestion.[17]
Now a day peoples are interested in the hair care preparation like shampoos and hair conditioners. Shampoos are the products which are used for the removal of the dirt and surface grease from the hair shaft and scalp. There are numbers of synthetic shampoos in the market as compared to the herbal or natural shampoo, but synthetic shampoo has some harmful effect on the hair or scalp like dryness of hair and keratin loss. Now a day peoples are more aware about the side-effects each and every ingredient used in the formulation of shampoo or any of the cosmetic preparation. Hence due to this reason there is increase in demand for the natural ingredient containing formulation. From the results and discussion, we were concluded that the formulation was better in all aspects when compared to the synthetic shampoos. The marketed shampoos have excessive detergents which can strip the hairs off from the scalp. The prepared herbal shampoo was having better detergency and even it maintained the shiny and oily appearance. Therefore, the formulated herbal shampoo passed the entire test and hence can be a better substitute to the shampoos available.[18]
Marketed (Synthetic) available shampoo contains artificial ingredients that are bad for the skin, damages hair follicles, irritates the scalp and some negative effects. Because consumers are now aware of the negative effects that synthetic products can have on their skin, hair, and eyes, they choose herbal products over synthetic ones. The adverse effects of herbal products are minimal so herbal products over synthetic ones. Herbal Shampoo is belonging to the cosmetic preparation using herbs and purpose of the hair care products are prepared to eliminate excess oil, dirt, and dandruff from the scalp and hair. The main aim of the present study is to formulate and evaluate polyherbal.[19]
The aim was to formulate an herbal liquid shampoo containing natural ingredients with an emphasis on safety and efficacy, which will avoid the risk posed by chemical ingredients. It clears sebum, dirt, dandruff, promotes hair growth, strengthens and darkens the hair. Moreover, it also acts as conditioning agents and performs all these actions without affecting or damaging hair. The herbs shikekai, ritha, amala powder, fenugreek powder and tulsi powder have been selected to formulate the herbal shampoo powder on the basis of the traditional system and scientific justification with modern uses.[20]
Shampooing is the most common form of hair treatment. Shampoos are primarily been products aimed at cleansing the hair and scalp. In the present scenario, it seems improbable that herbal shampoo, although better in performance and safer than the synthetic ones, will be popular with the consumers. A more radical approach in popularizing herbal shampoo would be to change the consumer expectations from a shampoo, with emphasis on safety and efficacy. We have evaluated and compared the herbal shampoo, which was formulated in previous study, with two marketed shampoos. The findings of this investigation reveal that synthetic preservatives have sometimes been the cause of adverse effects among consumers. We have used the physico-chemical approach to preservation and by formulating a self-preserving shampoo, have avoided this risk posed by chemical preservatives. However, the aesthetic attributes, such as lather and clarity, of the laboratory shampoo are not comparable with the marketed shampoos. The foam volume was on a par. Although the retail products were not fare so well in the tests conducted by us, they enjoy market popularity, especially if they foam well. This is mainly due to the false notion among consumers that ‘a shampoo that foams well, works well’, and no real effort on the part of manufacturers to counter this fallacy.[21]
The objective of this study is to formulate and evaluate poly-herbal shampoo for cosmetic purpose from herbal ingredients. Hibiscus powder, Neem powder, Henna powder, Amla powder, Shikakai powder, Ritha powder, Alo-vera gel was procured from local market in powdered form and rice water prepared by homemade method, then prepared decoction of these ingredients and mixing with each other and evaluated for its organoleptic and physicochemical characteristics. Herbal shampoo is used to cleansing of the hair also conditioning, smoothing, of the hair surface, good health of hair, hair free of dandruff, dirt grease and lice above all, its safety benefits are expected. The advantage of herbal cosmetics is their non-toxic nature, reduce the allergic reactions and usefulness of many ingredients. That’s why in present work we found good properties for the herbal shampoo and further optimization study benefits of herbal shampoo on human use as cosmetic product.[22]
The hair care herbal shampoo powder has been prepared using some of the traditional medicines. Bahera, Amla, Neem, Tulsi, Shikakai Heena and Brahmi were evaluated for organoglytics, powder characteristics, foam test and physical evaluation. Due to the selection of drugs once the drug is used together or jointly, existing inspections will help establish standards and assessment criteria, which will certainly help to standardize the quality and purity of these herbal powder shampoos.[23]
Drug Profile
Amla
Figure.No.02 Amla Plant
Synonym: Indian gooseberry
Biological source: obtained from fruit of emblica officicainalis or Phyllanthus emblica
Family: Euphorbiaceae
Morphological Character
Colour: Fresh fruit: greenish yellow; Dried fruit: brownish black
Oduor: Slight, characteristic
Taste: Sour, astringent, with slight sweetness and bitterness
Size: 1.3 – 2.5 cm in diameter, globose
Shape: Globular, with 6 vertical furrows (lobes)
Surface: Smooth, glossy in fresh fruit
Active constituents
Therapeutic Uses
Rita / Reetha (Soapnut)
Figure.No.03 Reetha Plant
Synonyms: Soapnut, Arishtak
Biological Source: Dried fruit of Sapindus mukorossi Gaertn.
Family: Sapindaceae
Morphological Characters:
O Round, blackish brown, smooth pericarp, wrinkled after drying.
O Seeds black, hard, shiny.
Active Constituents:
O Saponins (Sapindosides), Sugars, Fatty acids.
Uses:
O Helps to control the dandruff.
O It also promotes the hair growth.[11]
Bhringraj
Figure.No.04 Bhringraj Plant
Synonyms: False Daisy, Kesharaja, Bhangra
Biological Source: It is obtained from the whole plant of Eclipta alba.
Family: Asteraceae.
Morphological Characters:
Active Constituents:
Uses:
Shikakai
Figure.No.05 Shikakai Plant
Synonyms: Soap pod, Shik
Biological Source: It is obtained from the dried fruits (Pods) of Acacia conking,
Family: Fabaceae.
Morphological Characters:
O Brown, wrinkled,
O Curved pods containing 6–10 seeds.
O Rough, woody texture.
Active Constituents:
O Saponins, Tannins, Oxalic acid, Citric acid, Malic acid.
Uses:
O It is used for hair cleanser,
O It is used as hair conditioner,
O It is act as a antidandruff.[13]
Aloe
Figure.No.06 Aloe Plant
Synonyms: Ghritkumari, Kumari, Curacao Aloe
Biological Source: It is obtained from dried latex of Aloe barbadensis Miller (syn. Aloe vera
Linn.),
Family: Liliaceae (now Asphodelaceae).
Morphological Characters:
Active Constituents:
Uses:
METHODOLOGY
Table No: 01: Chemicals and Reagents
Si. No |
Chemicals and reagents |
1. |
Amla Extract |
2. |
Bhringraj Extract |
3. |
Reetha Extract |
4. |
Shikakai Extract |
5. |
Curry leaves Extract |
6. |
Lemon Juice |
8. |
Aloe vera Extract |
9. |
Methylparaben |
10. |
Citric Acid |
11. |
ethanol |
13. |
Conc.H2SO4 |
14. |
Ninhydrin Reagent |
15. |
Wagner’s Reagent |
Table No: 02: Apparatus/Equipment’s
Sl.no |
Apparatus/equipment’s |
|
Beakers 1L,500ml,250ml |
|
Test tube |
|
Funnel |
|
Petri dish |
|
Desiccator |
|
Water Bath |
|
Incubator |
|
Refrigerator |
|
Cells |
|
PH Meter |
Preparation Of Plant Extract:
Figure.No.07 extraction of Amla, Bhringaraj, Reetha, Shikakai
Formulation of herbal shampoo:
Table No: 03. Three different shampoo formulations were prepared as shown in Table
Sr. No. |
Ingredients for 100 grams |
F1 |
F2 |
F3 |
1 |
Amla |
2.5 |
- |
2.5 |
2 |
Bhringraj |
- |
2.5 |
2.5 |
3 |
Reetha |
5 |
5 |
5 |
4 |
Shikakai |
- |
2.5 |
2.5 |
5 |
Curry leaves |
2.5 |
- |
2.5 |
6 |
Lemon juice |
1 |
1 |
1 |
7 |
Methylparaben |
0.8 |
0.8 |
0.8 |
8 |
Citric acid |
Q.S |
Q.S |
Q.S |
9 |
Aloe vera |
Q.S |
Q.S |
Q.S |
Flow Chart:
Evaluation of formulated herbal shampoo:
The first step in shampoo evaluation is assessing its appearance, color, & clarity, which influence consumer acceptability.
To determine the shampoos acidity / basicity which affect the scalp and hair health. mix 1g of shampoo with 10 ml distilled water measure PH using a calibrated pH metre.
This test evaluates the efficacy of shampoo in removing a dirt and oily substances from hair. 1% solution of shampoo (1g in 100ml water) is prepared and one drop of India ink added. The solution is shaken and ink distribution is observed.
The cylinder shake method is the most widely used method for determining foaming ability. A 250ml graduated cylinder was filled with 10 ml of shampoo solution at room temperature, covered by a hand and shaken 10 times, following 60 seconds of shaking, the total amount of the foam content was noted. The height of the foam that was produced was measured right way. The same process was used to measure the foam volume after 20 minutes in order to access forms stability.
Shampoo was taken in the beaker and then slowly added distilled water. mixing of shampoo and water to measure the surface tension by using stalagmometer or tensiometer. Should significantly reduce water surface tension.
Conditioning property determines how smooth, soft and manageable the hair feel after shampooing. Hair samples are washed with shampoo solution compared with the control (hair wash only with water) smoothness, softness and ease of combing are evaluated by volunteers.
Viscosity of liquid is determined by using a capillary viscometer i.e. Ostwald viscometer.
Determines the amount of dissolved or suspended solids in the shampoo. Too high or low can affect performance and stability. Weigh 4g of shampoo in a dish and heat in a water bath(100'C) until all water evaporates then cool and reweigh.
Prepared shampoo was applied on skin for 5 minutes after washed and test for irritation or
Figure.No.08 evaluation parameters of Amalaki, Shikakai, Curry Leaves, Reetha
RESULTS
Preliminary phytochemical screening
The outcomes acquired from the phytochemical examination on ethanolic extract of parthenium Vitis vinifera leaves executed the presence of carbohydrates, proteins and amino acids, alkaloids, phenols, flavonoids, phytosterols, glycosides, saponins and oils and fats.
Table no: 04 phytochemical screening of Amla, Bhringaraj, Reetha, Shikakai
Sr. No |
Phytochemical Components |
Test |
Ethanolic extract of |
|||
Amla, |
Bhringaraj |
Reetha |
Shikakai |
|||
1 |
Carbohydrates |
Molisch’s test |
+ |
+ |
+ |
- |
Benedict’s test |
+ |
+ |
+ |
- |
||
Fehling’s test |
+ |
+ |
+ |
- |
||
2 |
Proteins and amino acids |
Ninhydrin’s test |
+ |
+ |
+ |
+ |
Xanthoproteic test |
+ |
- |
+ |
+ |
||
3 |
Alkaloids |
Dragendrof’s test |
+ |
+ |
+ |
+ |
Wagner’s test |
+ |
+ |
+ |
+ |
||
Hager’s test |
+ |
+ |
- |
+ |
||
Mayers test |
+ |
- |
+ |
+ |
||
4 |
Phenols |
Ferric chloride test |
+ |
+ |
- |
+ |
Lead acetate test |
+ |
+ |
- |
+ |
||
5 |
Flavonoids |
Shinoda test |
+ |
- |
- |
- |
Alkaline reagent test |
- |
- |
- |
- |
||
Sodium hydroxide |
+ |
+ |
- |
- |
||
6 |
Phytosterols |
Salkowski test |
+ |
+ |
+ |
+ |
Liebermann Burchard’s Test |
+ |
+ |
+ |
+ |
||
7 |
Glycosides |
Keller kilani test |
- |
- |
- |
+ |
Noah test |
- |
- |
- |
- |
||
Baljit test |
- |
- |
- |
+ |
||
3,5 dinitro benzoic test |
- |
- |
- |
+ |
Table no: 09 phytochemical screening of Amla Shikakai, Curry Leaves, Reetha
Now a days many synthetic, herbal, medicated and nonmedicated shampoos are available in the market but popularity of herbal shampoo among consumers is on rise because of their belief that these products being of natural origin are safe and free from side effect. We have formulated herbal shampoo which contain bhrinraj, amla, shikakai, reetha and curry leaves. These herbal ingredients are very essential for hair which promote hair growth and stimulates the formulation of new and healthy hair roots, hair cleaning property, and provide conditioning effect.
Table No: 05. Evaluation Parameters:
Parameters |
F1 |
F2 |
F3 |
Physical Appearance |
Brown and viscous |
Brown and viscous |
Brown and viscous |
Foaming Stability and Ability |
5ml and stable for more than 5 min |
5ml and stable for more than 5 min |
5ml and stable for more than 5 min |
pH |
6.4 ± 0.5 |
6.4 ± 0.5 |
6.4 ± 0.5 |
Dirt Dispersion |
Passes |
Passes |
Passes |
Surface Tension |
36.05dy/cc |
36.05dy/cc |
36.05dy/cc |
Rheological Studies |
10.75 milipoise |
11.902 milipoise |
10.42 milipoise |
% Of Solid Contents |
6.83% |
7.14% |
6.60% |
Conditioning Effect |
Passes |
Passes |
Passes |
DISCUSSION: -
1. Herbal shampoos are preferred over synthetic shampoos due to their natural ingredients and minimal chemical side effects.
2. The use of plant extracts like Amla, Bhringraj, Shikakai, Reetha, and Curry leaves provides nourishment and strengthens hair naturally.
3. Aloe vera in the formulation acts as a natural moisturizer, improving hair texture and scalp hydration.
4. Methylparaben serves as a preservative, preventing microbial growth and increasing shelf life.
5. Boiling and filtration of herbal extracts ensure removal of impurities while retaining active phytochemicals.
6. pH adjustment using citric acid and lemon juice ensures the shampoo is compatible with scalp and hair, preventing irritation.
7. Hydration and proper mixing of ingredients allow uniform distribution of bioactive compounds throughout the shampoo.
8. Drying of extracts before incorporation concentrates the active constituents, enhancing the shampoo’s efficacy.
9. Evaluation parameters like foam formation, stability, and appearance indicate the quality and consumer acceptability of the product.
10. The prepared herbal shampoos are eco-friendly, biodegradable, and safe for regular use, promoting hair health naturally.
CONCULSION: -
The aim of this study was to formulate herbal shampoo for better cleaning and conditioning effect. By using plant extracts such as; amla, curry leaves, soapnut, and bhringraj extract for their hair cleansing actions. All the ingredients used in formulation of herbal shampoo were safe. Several tests were performed to evaluate the physicochemical properties. The evaluation of shampoo showed ideal results such as all the formulations having the good physical appearance, pH, viscosity, foaming ability, foaming stability, and conditioning effect. The conditioning performance and shinning of F3 formulation shows better results when compared to F1 and F2 formulation.
Summary
REFERENCE
Mallayya Swami*, Mahalaxmi Hipparagi, Amoghhasidda T., Apsana N., Apsanabegum B., Asifa M., Bhagyashree U., Formulation and evaluation of herbal shampoo, Int. J. of Pharm. Sci., 2025, Vol 3, Issue 9, 2896-2906 https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17197579