Shampoos Composition and characteristics of washing base

A shampoo (from the English shampoo meaning "to massage", borrowed from Hindi) is a hygiene product designed to wash the hair and scalp, and eventually to treat the various hair problems that can be encountered, such as dandruff, dry hair and greasy hair. Omnipresent in the bathroom, shampoo is sold at a rate of around 180 million units a year in France. Most shampoos are aqueous solutions containing a high percentage of surfactants in various categories (anionic, amphoteric or non-ionic). Depending on the specific proportion of each surfactant, preparations with varying physico-chemical properties are obtained. However, there are also cream shampoos, anhydrous shampoos and dry shampoos, the latter of which are once again attempting a marketing breakthrough after a period of neglect. The same basic composition is often found, whatever the target audience. Above all, it's the packaging organoleptic characteristics, claimed active ingredients and sales pitch marketing that target specific consumer categories. Packaging in predominantly blue and/or gray is often intended for men, bright colors for children... The palette is broader for women, or for unisex products, i.e. those intended for both men and women. In terms of their regulatory status, shampoos may be medicines, medical devices or cosmetics. The result is a wide variety of sales niches. In fact, this category of hygiene products can be found in supermarkets, pharmacies and parapharmacies, as well as in hairdressing salons... While the vast majority of shampoos are conventional cosmetics, there are also products with the organic label. After a brief reminder about hair, the composition of this type of product is presented in detail, with a discussion of the interest of the ingredients in terms of the benefit/risk balance.

As is customary in the industry, unless otherwise specified, the percentages given are by mass.