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The top 10 raw ingredient classes for shampoo brands are primary surfactants (SLES or sulfate-free cleansers), co-surfactants, conditioning agents, humectants, proteins and actives, thickeners and pearlisers, preservatives, chelating agents, pH adjusters, and fragrance. Every commercial shampoo is built from these ten groups, not from one hero ingredient.
A shampoo is built from ten functional ingredient classes, each doing a specific job. Brands that try to lead with a single “hero” ingredient usually end up with a weak product; strong shampoos come from a balanced system.
| # | Class | Example INCI | Core job |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Primary surfactant | Sodium Laureth Sulfate | Cleansing, foam |
| 2 | Co-surfactant | Cocamidopropyl Betaine | Mildness, foam density |
| 3 | Conditioning agent | Polyquaternium-7 | Softness, anti-static |
| 4 | Humectant | Glycerin, Panthenol | Moisture, hair feel |
| 5 | Protein/active | Hydrolyzed Keratin | Repair claims |
| 6 | Thickener/pearliser | Sodium Chloride, Glycol Distearate | Viscosity, pearl |
| 7 | Preservative | Phenoxyethanol + Ethylhexylglycerin | Microbial safety |
| 8 | Chelating agent | Tetrasodium EDTA | Hard-water stability |
| 9 | pH adjuster | Citric Acid | Acidic finished pH |
| 10 | Fragrance/sensory | Parfum, CI colours | Scent, appearance |
Primary surfactants are the main cleaning agents that lift oil and dirt and create foam. They make up the bulk of a shampoo’s active matter. Total anionic cleansing surfactant in a shampoo is generally 8–16% of the finished formula, and total active surfactant matter usually sits around 10–16%.
Sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) and sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) are the most widely used primary surfactants worldwide because they clean well, foam richly and are cost-effective. SLES is milder than SLS. Sulfate-free primary surfactants (sodium coco-sulfate, sodium cocoyl isethionate (SCI), sodium lauroyl methyl isethionate (SLMI), sodium methyl cocoyl taurate, sodium lauroyl sarcosinate, and alkyl polyglucosides) are milder and support “sulfate-free” positioning.
| Surfactant | Type | Typical form | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES (2EO) | Anionic | 70% paste / 28% liquid | Workhorse; check 1,4-dioxane |
| SLS | Anionic | Needles/powder | Stronger, more stripping |
| Sodium coco-sulfate | Anionic | Solid | “Sulfate-free” label but sulfate chemistry |
| SCI | Anionic (mild) | Flakes/noodles | Opaque/creamy shampoo |
| SLMI | Anionic (mild) | Flakes | Clear sulfate-free shampoo |
| Alkyl polyglucoside | Non-ionic (mild) | Liquid | Gentle, high pH |
SLES delivers stronger foam, easier salt-thickening and lower cost; sulfate-free systems are milder and better for daily-use and colour-treated positioning but foam less and cost more. A common approach is to blend a mild anionic (SCI or SLMI) with cocamidopropyl betaine for a foaming sulfate-free base. For a deeper comparison, read our guide to the best surfactants for shampoo in Pakistan.
| Factor | SLES | Sulfate-free |
|---|---|---|
| Foam | High | Moderate |
| Mildness | Moderate | High |
| Cost | Low | Higher |
| Thickening | Easy (salt) | Harder |
| Positioning | Mass-market | Premium/gentle |
Co-surfactants are secondary surfactants added to improve foam quality, boost viscosity and reduce the irritation of the primary anionic. They rarely cleanse well on their own but make the whole system milder and richer.
CAPB is supplied at about 30–35% active, so a 2–6% active dose means roughly 6–17% of the as-supplied liquid. Always dose on an active basis using the COA.
Conditioning agents deposit a thin film on the hair to reduce static, improve wet combing and add softness after rinsing. Because shampoo rinses off, they need “substantivity”, the ability to deposit during a short wash.
Cationic polymers are the main class: Polyquaternium-7, Polyquaternium-10 and guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride. Silicones (dimethicone, amodimethicone) add shine and slip; plant oils and butters (argan, coconut, shea) serve silicone-free positioning. Cationic polymers are typically used at 0.05–0.5% by weight.
Both are cationic conditioning polymers. PQ-7 is a softer, film-forming polymer often used up to about 1% as supplied and gives slip and wet feel; PQ-10 is a cationic cellulose usually used around 0.3–0.5% and gives clarity-friendly conditioning with good deposition. Many formulas combine a cationic guar or PQ-10 with a silicone for stronger results.
| Polymer | Chemistry | Typical use | Strength |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polyquaternium-7 | Acrylamide/DADMAC | Up to ~1% as supplied | Slip, wet feel |
| Polyquaternium-10 | Cationic cellulose | ~0.3–0.5% | Deposition, clarity |
| Guar HP trimonium chloride | Cationic guar | ~0.1–0.5% | Detangling, natural |
Humectants draw and hold moisture; proteins and actives support marketing claims and hair feel. These are the ingredients most brands lead their labels with, but they work best as part of the wider system.
Deposition matters: without a cationic polymer, most water-soluble actives simply rinse away. Pair actives with Polyquaternium-10 or cationic guar so they deposit rather than wash down the drain.
Thickeners raise viscosity so shampoo pours and feels right; pearlisers add a premium opaque shimmer. In a salt-responsive SLES/CAPB system, sodium chloride is the cheapest thickener, but it works on a “salt curve”: too much salt thins the product back down.
| Thickener | Works best in | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Sodium chloride | SLES/CAPB systems | To viscosity, on salt curve |
| PEG-150 distearate | Most systems | ~0.5–2% |
| Xanthan gum | Clear/natural | ~0.2–1% |
| Hydroxyethylcellulose | Clear systems | ~0.5–1% |
| Glycol distearate (pearl) | Opaque | ~1–3% |
A preservative is the ingredient that stops bacteria, yeast and mould growing in your shampoo; any water-containing product needs one. Skipping it risks contamination, product recalls and consumer harm. This is the single most important safety ingredient in the formula.
Common systems include phenoxyethanol with ethylhexylglycerin, sodium benzoate with potassium sorbate (for lower-pH formulas), and Geogard/benzyl alcohol blends for natural positioning. Phenoxyethanol is listed in Annex V (entry 29) of EU Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 at a maximum concentration of 1.0% in the finished product, covering total phenoxyethanol from all sources. Isothiazolinone preservatives are tightly restricted in the EU: methylisothiazolinone (MI, Annex V entry 57) is permitted only in rinse-off products at 0.0015% (15 ppm), reduced from 100 ppm by Regulation (EU) 2017/1224 effective 27 January 2018, and is banned in leave-on products; the methylchloroisothiazolinone/methylisothiazolinone (MCI/MI) mixture (entry 39) is permitted only in rinse-off at 0.0015% (15 ppm) in a 3:1 ratio under Regulation (EU) 1003/2014. Given the contact-allergy pressure, many formulators avoid MIT/CMIT altogether.
| Preservative system | Typical use | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Phenoxyethanol + ethylhexylglycerin | 0.5–1.0% | Broad-spectrum; EU total phenoxyethanol cap 1.0% |
| Sodium benzoate + potassium sorbate | ~0.5–1% | Needs pH below ~5.5 |
| Geogard/benzyl alcohol blends | Per supplier | Natural-positioned |
| MI / MCI+MI | ≤15 ppm rinse-off (EU) | Rising allergy restrictions; often avoided |
Do not under-dose: phenoxyethanol blends should not be used below roughly 0.6% or they feed microbes rather than kill them. Confirm any system with a preservative efficacy (challenge) test.
pH adjusters set the finished shampoo to an acidic value, and chelating agents bind metal ions so the formula stays stable and foams well in hard water. These two small-percentage ingredients quietly protect performance and shelf life.
Finished shampoo is commonly adjusted to pH 4.5–5.5 using citric acid or lactic acid (to lower pH) or sodium hydroxide (to raise it). This acidic range keeps the hair cuticle flat and protects the scalp’s acid mantle. Chelators such as tetrasodium EDTA, disodium EDTA (better below pH 5), sodium phytate or sodium gluconate are used at about 0.1–0.2% and also boost preservative efficacy.
The table below consolidates typical commercial use-level ranges by class. Values are conceptual formulation guidelines drawn from supplier data sheets and formulation references; final levels must be set by a qualified chemist with stability and safety testing.
| Ingredient class | Example | Typical use level |
|---|---|---|
| Primary surfactant (total anionic) | SLES | 8–16% |
| Co-surfactant | CAPB | 2–6% active |
| Cationic conditioning polymer | PQ-7 / PQ-10 | 0.05–0.5% |
| Glycerin | Glycerin | 0.5–3% |
| Panthenol | Panthenol | 0.5–2% |
| Hydrolysed protein | Keratin | 0.5–3% |
| Caffeine | Caffeine | 0.1–1.0% |
| Niacinamide | Niacinamide | 0.5–2% |
| Preservative | Phenoxyethanol blend | 0.5–1.0% |
| Chelator | EDTA | 0.1–0.2% |
| Salt (thickener) | Sodium chloride | To viscosity |
| Anti-dandruff active | Zinc pyrithione | 0.3–2% (drug-regulated) |
Below is a simple daily-shampoo skeleton showing where each class sits. Treat it as a starting architecture to adapt and stability-test, not a finished recipe.
| Phase | Ingredient | % range | Job |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water | Aqua | to 100% | Base |
| Chelator | Tetrasodium EDTA | 0.1–0.2% | Hard-water stability |
| Primary | SLES (as active) | 10–14% | Cleansing |
| Co-surfactant | Cocamidopropyl betaine | 3–5% | Mildness, foam |
| Conditioning | Polyquaternium-7 | 0.1–0.3% | Softness |
| Humectant | Glycerin / panthenol | 1–2% | Moisture |
| Pearl/opacity | Glycol distearate | 1–2% | Appearance |
| Thickener | Sodium chloride | to viscosity | Viscosity |
| Preservative | Phenoxyethanol + ethylhexylglycerin | 0.5–1.0% | Safety |
| pH adjust | Citric acid | q.s. to pH 4.5–5.5 | Cuticle/scalp |
| Fragrance | Parfum | 0.2–0.8% | Scent |
Sourcing well means checking documents and quality before you pay, and storing materials correctly in Pakistan’s climate. Two documents matter most: the Certificate of Analysis (COA) and the Safety Data Sheet (SDS/MSDS).
Shampoo sold in Pakistan sits under two bodies, DRAP for medicated products and PSQCA for quality standards, and export adds EU or US rules. This section touches YMYL (health/safety) territory, so treat it as orientation and confirm specifics with a qualified regulatory professional.
DRAP: the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan. Its Medical Devices and Medicated Cosmetics (MDMC) Division is responsible for the assessment, enlistment or registration of medicated cosmetics, medicated shampoos and medicated soaps. Ordinary cleansing shampoo is treated as a cosmetic; an anti-dandruff or treatment shampoo crosses into medicated/drug territory. (Note: DRAP’s own published text explicitly names only medicated/natural-ingredient shampoos; whether plain non-medicated shampoo must be enlisted should be confirmed directly with DRAP, as this is asserted mainly by consulting firms rather than the official Gazette.)
PSQCA: the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority maintains PS 3509-2018 (1st Revision), the Pakistan Standard specification for shampoo, adopted 30 April 2018 (first established 1994) and developed by PSQCA’s Cosmetics & Toilet Goods Technical Committee (CTC-18). Its Table 1 requirements include: active ingredient content (as TELS or equivalent) minimum 10% by mass; pH at 27±2°C of 4 to 9; inorganic salts maximum 7.0% by mass; aerobic plate count maximum 300 per ml; and pathogenic bacteria “Nil.” The standard excludes baby shampoo. Shampoo has been placed under PSQCA’s compulsory certification scheme, so verify current mandatory-mark status before selling.
Anti-dandruff actives are drugs: zinc pyrithione, ketoconazole, selenium sulfide, piroctone olamine and salicylic acid for dandruff are drug-regulated actives with defined limits, not free cosmetic add-ins. In the US, FDA OTC Monograph M032 permits pyrithione zinc at 0.3–2% in rinse-off (wash-off) products. In the EU, zinc pyrithione was banned in all cosmetics from 1 March 2022 via Commission Regulation (EU) 2021/1902 after a CMR (reproductive-toxicity, category 1B) classification, so an anti-dandruff formula that is legal in one market may be prohibited in another.
Export (EU): Regulation (EC) 1223/2009 requires a safety assessment, a Responsible Person, and controls on impurities (e.g., 1,4-dioxane in ethoxylated surfactants; nitrosamine limits on cocamide DEA and CAPB).
Export (US): MoCRA requires facility registration and product listing.
Choose ingredients by starting from the product concept, not the trend list. The Stexol 5-Step Ingredient Selection Framework keeps a formula focused and sellable:
A focused formula with one clear direction outperforms a crowded “kitchen-sink” label that raises cost and muddies the message.
How much surfactant should a shampoo contain?
Total active surfactant matter is typically around 10–16%, with total anionic cleansing surfactant generally 8–16% of the finished formula.
What pH should shampoo be?
Commonly 4.5–5.5, adjusted with citric or lactic acid, to keep the cuticle flat and protect the scalp’s acid mantle. (Pakistan’s PS 3509-2018 allows a wider pH of 4 to 9 for compliance, but 4.5–5.5 is the hair-health target.)
Is sulfate-free always better?
No. Sulfate-free is milder and good for premium/gentle positioning, but it foams less and costs more; SLES remains effective and economical for mass-market products.
Can I make a shampoo without preservatives?
No. Any water-containing shampoo needs a broad-spectrum preservative confirmed by challenge testing.
Do I need to register a plain shampoo with DRAP?
Ordinary cleansing shampoo is treated as a cosmetic; medicated and anti-dandruff shampoos fall under DRAP’s Medical Devices and Medicated Cosmetics Division. Confirm current requirements with a regulatory professional.
Pick one concept, then request COAs and samples for the cleansing base and preservative. First, those two decisions define your product’s safety and feel. Start with a small test batch because Stexol Chemicals supplies every ingredient class in this guide from 1 kg, with a Certificate of Analysis on every batch.
