Shampoo and conditioner go hand-in-hand, and we’re following up yesterday’s Argan Oil Shampoo with today’s Leave-In Argan Oil Conditioner. You can either use this conditioner like a leave-in de-tangling spray, or as a traditional wash-off product. It contains hair nourishing Carrot Extract, as well as DL-Panthenol, which is more commonly known as pro vitamin B5.
Check out the other tutorials in this series: Argan Oil Shampoo and Pink Sea Salt Beach Spray
What You’ll Need:
5.8 oz. distilled water
0.6 oz. BTMS-50
0.4 oz. Argan Oil
0.4 oz. Cyclomethicone
0.3 oz. Polysorbate 80
0.2 oz. DL-Panthenol
0.2 oz. Optiphen ND
0.2 oz. Coconut Lemongrass Fragrance Oil
0.1 oz. Carrot Extract
Two 4 oz. Brushed Aluminum Bottle with Spray Top
Click here to add everything you need for this project to your Bramble Berry shopping cart!
EQUIPMENT PREP:Β Disinfect your utensils by dipping them in a 5% bleach water solution and allowing to dry. This includes mixing containers, your stick blender, and any spoons or spatulas that may come in contact with your lotion. Your products must be absolutely 100% free of germs, bacteria, microbes or anything so be safe and bleach water all your utensils.
ONE: Measure the distilled water into a disinfected heatsafe container. Heat the water in the microwave on 1 minute bursts until it reaches 150 degrees F.
TWO: In a second disinfected container, combine and heat the BTMS-50, Argan Oil, Cyclomethicone and Polysorbate 80. Heat until the mixture reaches 150 degrees F.
THREE: Add the heated water to the melted oils. Emulsify the mixture with a stick blender for 30 – 60 seconds.
FOUR: When the mixture cools to 140 degrees F or below, add the DL-Panthenol, Optiphen ND, fragrance oil and Carrot extract. Stick blend for 10 – 15 seconds or mix in with a wire whisk.
FIVE: Pour into bottles and leave uncovered overnight.
Your conditioner is ready to use!
I researched these ingredients and I got even more curious. Since it’s mostly chemicals, I guess this isn’t a natural conditioner right? Are there any recipes with ONLY natural ingredients? If not, are these chemicals super safe and not harmful for skin? Or any recipe with maybe one emulsifier and all natural ingredients? I really want all natural or at least 90% natural product.
Hi Angela!
The term natural is a bit tricky to define. It is an unregulated term, and means different things to different people. For instance, some may consider our shea butter natural because it comes from natural sources. However, others may not consider it natural because it has been refined. You can read more about the term natural here: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/natural-vs-organic/
All of our products (including synthetic products) are skin and hair safe! In this recipe, the emulsifier and preservative are important because they help the recipe stay mixed and protect it from mold and bacteria.
I would recommend researching the term natural to see which products you feel comfortable using! If you aren’t comfortable using emulsifiers or preservatives, there are other options. For instance, this body butter recipe is made with oil, butter and essential oil and is great for moisturizing the skin: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/lotion/how-to-make-whipped-body-butter-on-soap-queen-tv/
Because it doesn’t contain water, it doesn’t need an emulsifier or preservative!
Cold process soap is another option. It’s made with oils, water and lye. While the lye is used to make the soap, it is not present in the final product. That’s because it gets used up by the oils, which chemically react with the lye to create soap. Read more in the Where’s the Lye post: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/cold-process-soap/wheres-the-lye-2/
Learn more about making cold process soap in this post, which has four how-to videos on how to get started: http://www.soapqueen.com/bramble-berry-news/beginning-soaper-resource-roundup/
I’ll also link a few shampoo bar recipes below! They feel great on the hair. π
Sudsy Shampoo Bars: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/cold-process-soap/sudsy-shampoo-bars/
Invigorating Shampoo Bars: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/cold-process-soap/invigorating-shampoo-bars/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I’m curious, could this be used as a heat protectant spray, putting it on dry hair for example before flat ironing?
Also, I made this recipe last night and it is too thick to spray. Could I have done something wrong or is the recipe supposed to be adjusted in order for it to be a consistency that can be sprayed?
Hi Kristy!
We found that this recipe sprayed out nicely! Did you make any substitutions to the recipe? Let me know and I can suggest some tips to help thin it out. π
Also, I’m not entirely sure if it works as a heat protectant spray! I checked ingredient lists for a couple heat protectant sprays and they contain water, glycerin, silk, vitamin E, etc. Because this recipe doesn’t have glycerin or vitamin E, I think it would work best as a leave in conditioner!
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hi Kelsey. I followed the recipe exactly. The only change I made was cutting the recipe in half?
Hello- recently I was doing some research on the Internet about liquid soap/shampoo recipes and I came across info on liquid glycerin Castille soap. Have any of u ever tried it? Basically instead of using water u substitute 100% glycerin heated to 200β’ F. It cuts like half a days work off the process. My question is that I’d like to try and make shampoo for my daughter with this method, but I also would like to add in aloe vera juice. Normally I would add it into the lye water but I don’t think that’s an option using this method. Could I add it to my soap making oils, or maybe use it at the end of the cook like u would a superfat, or do u use it to dilute it? I know this isn’t exactly pertinent to this tutorial but I figured if anyone knew it would be the people at soap queen. One last thing- I also have no idea on how u would put something like this into a lye calculator. Thanks so much.
Hi Maggie!
We have done some experimenting with liquid glycerin in soap! We have used 50% liquid glycerin and 50% distilled water and found it sped the process up nicely. However, we haven’t tried a liquid soap recipe with 100%. I believe the lye needs some sort of liquid to fully dissolve. You may want to try a batch of 50% glycerin and 50% aloe vera liquid. That way the process will go faster, the lye will dissolve and you’ll get the benefits of the aloe I would definitely recommend a small test batch to see how it works. π
Someone on teachsoap.com/forum may have more tips as well!
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Aloe vera liquid: https://www.brambleberry.com/Aloe-Vera-Liquid-P3704.aspx
pls ma how can i get the cemicals since am living in nigeria
Hi Emmanuel!
We are unable to ship to Nigeria because of importing rules, I’m sorry about that! You can read more about that here: https://www.brambleberry.com/International-Shipping-Policies.aspx#Nigeria
Someone on our Teach Soap Forum may know of a supplier near you! You may also check online to see if there are suppliers that ship to Nigeria. π
Teachsoap.com/forum
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Am I able to sub Polysorbate 20 for 80?
Hi Danielle!
We didn’t test Polysorbate 20 in this recipe, so I’m not entirely sure! Polysorbate 20 is typically used to emulsify lighter fragrance oils, which 80 is used for heavier carrier oils, like the argan oil in this recipe. I would recommend making a small test batch to see if it keeps everything nicely emulsified. If not, I would recommend the Polysorbate 80. π
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Polysorbate 20: https://www.brambleberry.com/Polysorbate-20-P3212.aspx
Polysorbate 80: https://www.brambleberry.com/Polysorbate-80-P4438.aspx
Hi, I’m making this for thick curly hair. Is there anyway to make this thicker and more of a cream. I am new to lotion making and do not fully understand percentages and how to formulate my own hair recipes this would help so much
Hi Demi!
I can absolutely help! Reducing the amount of water will make this recipe a bit thicker. Right now it’s at 70%. You can reduce that to 65%, which would be 5.3 ounces of water.
I would recommend making a small test batch with 65% water to see what you think. If you want it even thicker, you can reduce the amount of water to 60% (5 ounces). π
To get the percentage amounts, first find the total weight of the recipe. In this case, that’s 8.2 ounces. Then, you can divide the ingredient amounts by that total. So, to find out the percentage, I divided 5.8 by 8.2. Find out more about calculating percentages in this Soapy Math post: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/math-soapers/
You could also add a bit of stearic acid to make it thicker! You can use that at 3-% in your recipe.
Stearic acid: https://www.brambleberry.com/Stearic-Acid-by-weight-P4210.aspx
Learn more about formulating emulsified recipes like lotion here: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/lotion/how-to-create-homemade-lotion-recipes/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hi,
Thanks for the great recipe. I’ve been making lots of great goat milk products can i add goat milk to this recipe and to the shampoo recipe as well?
You’re welcome Natalie! We don’t recommend adding goat milk to this recipe. Adding goat milk to conditioner is a lot like leaving milk out on the counter – eventually it will spoil. This will likely happen in just a couple of weeks, even with a preservative. Preservatives protect against mold and bacteria, but they don’t extend the shelf life of milk. Read more about that in the lotion formulation post: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/lotion/how-to-create-homemade-lotion-recipes/
The argan oil in this recipe adds such a silky feeling to the hair on its own! I would definitely recommend this recipe, I just it all the time. π
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Thanks Kelsey,
You’ve made a great point about the milk spoiling. I made some Almond scented goats milk lotion and it turned out great, but my second batch of the same recipe smells like spoiled milk. Is it because i didn’t add enough scent to the second batch? is this batch still ok to use? I used optiphen as my preservative.
Even with a stronger fragrance oil usage rate, the spoiled milk smell can be quite strong. Because of that, we don’t recommend using milk in lotion. Even with that preservative, it will spoil in just a couple weeks. If you’re looking for a fun alternative liquid to add to your lotion, rose water or aloe vera liquid are great options. I’ll include some lotion recipes with those ingredients below. π
Rose and Aloe In-Shower Lotion: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/lotion/rose-aloe-shower-lotion/
Rose Water Lotion: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/lotion/english-garden-rose-water-lotion/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I really enjoy getting pure Argan oil and creating my own conditioners and shampoos out of them. This recipe is next on my list to make. http://essenceofargan.com/
It’s so much fun to make shampoo and conditioner! Argan oil adds some great silkiness to hair. π
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hi,
Can I substitute the BTMS-50 for BTMS-25?
Thank you
Christina
Hi Christina!
We haven’t worked with BTMS-25, so I’m not entirely sure! I would recommend making a small test batch to see how it works. If that conditioner is wanting to separate, you can add 1-3% emulsifying wax to see if that helps. π
Emulsifying wax: https://www.brambleberry.com/Emulsifying-Wax-P4896.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Can I use Optiphen Plus in this recipe?
Hi Amanda!
You can! You can add that at .75-1.5% in your recipe to help prevent mold and bacteria. You’ll want to add it when the lotion is 176F or cooler. π
Read more about Optiphen Plus here: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/lotion/talk-it-out-tuesday-preservatives/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hey!
Can i substitute Cyclomethicone with Silk Water, how many ounces of Silk Water ?
Thank you π
Hi Noha!
Cyclomethicone has a unique silky texture that works great in this recipe. We didn’t try it with liquid silk, so I’m not exactly sure if it would be a good substitute! I would recommend making a small test batch and seeing what you think. π
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Cyclomethicone: https://www.brambleberry.com/Cyclomethicone-P4560.aspx
Liquid silk: https://www.brambleberry.com/Liquid-Silk-P4097.aspx
I just made this and it came out too thick to spray out of the BB aluminum bottles. I used it as a rinse off since it was too thick to spray. Is it too late to add more water and preservative to make it a thinner consistency? If I add water, do I need to heat it first and then add the preservative when it’s cool enough? I used the cucumber oak FO from BB, but everything else was spot on to the recipe and temps. I absolutely love the way my hair feels and smells with this product! I just want to be able to spray it as intended.
Hi Charity!
So glad you like the conditioner! I’m wondering if there was extra air in the conditioner. Sometimes, if there is extra air, it can thicken in the bottles. To prevent this, tap your bottles on the counter a couple of times to get rid of that extra air.
You can thin your existing conditioner! I would recommend heating it in the microwave for just about 30-45 seconds. Make sure it doesn’t get too hot, otherwise it can make the preservative ineffective. Then, add a couple more ounces of water and stick blend well. If you add more water, make sure to add more preservative. You want the Optiphen ND to make up 1% of your recipe. π
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Talk It Out Tuesday: Preservatives: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/lotion/talk-it-out-tuesday-preservatives/
Cucumber Oak Fragrance Oil: https://www.brambleberry.com/Cucumber-Oak-Fragrance-Oil-P5613.aspx
Thanks Kelsey! It could have been the extra air. It was such a small amount that my stick blender had a hard time staying below the surface. I’ll try the heating, water addition and the extra Optiphen ND! Honestly, even if it stays thick it is absolutely fantastic. I’ve been touching my new soft and silky hair all day and it has way less static than normal this time of year! Total Win!!!
You’re welcome Charity! So glad you love it. I do too, it feels awesome in your hair. π
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
As it turns out, the conditioner did thin out after it was in the bottles for a couple of days and now it is spraying perfectly. Just in case any others out there get a little overzealous with the stick blender like I did and it gets too thick to spray. Just wait it out and all will be well.
That’s awesome, so glad that conditioner is a nice sprayable texture now! Thanks so much for the update. That’s really helpful for other crafters trying this recipe. π
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Could Polawax be substituted for BTMS-50?
Could Fractionated Coconut Oil be substituted for Argan Oil?
Hi Susan!
We love using BTMS-50 in this recipe because it emulsifies and conditions. While the polawax will help emulsify the recipe, it will not add any conditioning. Also, fractionated coconut oil has a lightweight consistency like argan oil, so it would be a good substitute. However, argan oil has a silky feeling that we absolutely love in our hair.
I would recommend making a small test batch to see if you like the consistency of the conditioner with the substitutions. π
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Polawax emulsifying wax: https://www.brambleberry.com/Polawax-Emulsifying-Wax-P4209.aspx
Fractionated coconut oil: https://www.brambleberry.com/Fractionated-Coconut-Oil-P4957.aspx
Could I replace the cyclomethicone with something? I don’t like using silicones on my hair (makes it shed more than normal) but if I just leave it out the percentages in the recipe will be off. Could I replace it with a bit of extra water perhaps? Or is there something else?
Hi Shannon!
We love the cyclomethicone in this recipe because it helps detangle your hair. You can leave it out, but I would recommend making a small test batch to see if you like how it feels on your hair.
We also have a great conditioner recipe that is cyclomethicone free you may like. I’ll include the video below. π
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
How to Make Shampoo and Conditioner on Soap Queen TV: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZLcs3Fax7Q
Would I be able to use regular BTMS instead of the 50? I think I have some stashed somewhere but I’m not in the mood to dig through my stash this morning :). Thanks! Hope this thread is still active π
Hi Vicki!
We didn’t try this recipe with BTMS, so I’m not exactly sure! We love the BTMS 50 because it is very conditioning. I would recommend making a small test batch with the BTMS to see how it feels on your hair. π
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hi, thank you for your lovely blog. I confirm that argan oil is great for hair care. Sarah from http://www.arganoilhair.co.uk
Hi Sarah!
I’m so glad you like it! Also, thanks for sharing your website. π
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I tried the receipes forleavein moisturiser,its great.
Now I would like to know whether Behentrimonium chloride is the same as BTMS50.Please advise
Thank you
Regards
Raymond
Hi Raymond!
So glad you like it! BTMS-50 is behentrimonium nethosulfate, so it is not the same as behentrimonium chloride. We’ve only used BTMS-50 in our recipes, so I’m not sure how the other one would work. π
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
BTMS-50: https://www.brambleberry.com/Btms-50-Conditioning-Emulsifier-P3623.aspx
What is the difference between btms and Behentrimonium chloride
Can you please explain difference between optiphen and optiphen nd? I see phenonip, and germoben and Im a little confused. I do know phenonip has parabens, other than that ? Thanks
Hi Heidi!
Optiphen ND works best in products that contain water, and Optiphen works best in oil-based products. Both are paraben and formaldehyde free. π
I’ll include a link to a blog post about preservatives that has a lot of great information.
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Talk It Out Tuesday: Preservatives: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/lotion/talk-it-out-tuesday-preservatives/
Great Recipe, although I think I stick blended a little too long and it’s more the consistency of regular conditioner, I just added more water to get it spray-able. Might use as a regular rinse out conditioner, too.
Hi Teresa!
Despite the thickness, it’s totally still usable!
If you added more water, you’ll want to add a little more Optiphen ND as well to keep it from molding. The preservative should make up 1% of your recipe. π
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Dear Brambleberry, π
My question is in regards to your “Argan Oil” Leave-in Conditioner. Is it possible to make the conditioner w/o using the Polysorbate 80, but keeping all the other ingredients as is? I’m not fond of P-80 & if you recommend keeping it in for some reason, would there be a suitable substitute?
Thanx for all the good help! π
-Aby
Hi there!
The Polysorbate 80 helps combine the fragrance oil into this mixture, along with helping the water and oil mix. We tested various recipes to find a formula that would not separate and allows you to use it as a spray on product. Because of that, you may find that the formula does not work as well without the Polysorbate 80. If you are able to find a stable formula without it, we would love to know! π
-Amanda with Bramble Berry
I’d like to use a natural preservative grapefruit seed oil, Do you have any advice on substituting with this?
Hi Linda!
The recommended usage rate of Grapefruit Seed Extract is .5-1%. There is some belief that GSE also works as a preservative. At Bramble Berry, we do not endorse the use of GSE as the sole preservative. We believe that a full-spectrum preservative such as Optiphen, Phenonip or Germaben II must be used to truly prevent mold and bacterial growth in your lotion products. If you have any more questions, let me know π
-Amanda with Bramble Berry
Hi Amanda!
Thanks for your reply
If I use liquid silk, should I sub it for which ingredient or just add more, and when do I add it, in water phrase or heat phrase
Hi Lena!
Our liquid silk is simply silk amino acids dissolved in water, so I would recommend adding it into your water in the very beginning π
I hope this helps, let me know if you have more questions!
-Amanda with Bramble Berry
This sounds wonderful, my hair loves argan oil and I’d love to try this! I’ve never made anything before so glad it’s beginner level. π My only question is can I use any 4 oz bottle or is there a reason for the aluminum?
Hi Kayla!
So glad you’re going to give this a try! You can use any bottle that you’d like for this shampoo, we just like the way aluminum looked π
-Amanda with Bramble Berry
I have been looking for a conditioner and shampoo for so long. I just ordered the ingredients and can’t wait to try it out.
If I want to use the conditioner as a wash off product, do I need to change anything to the recipe?
Thanks,
Michele
It might be a bit thin for you if you do leave in so if that’s the case, play with the amount of water (decrease it by 20% for example). It’s designed not to be too heavy so it doesn’t affect your normal hair styling =)
Thanks so much! I can’t wait to try it!
why don’t you use silk liquid to make the smooth
Hi Lena!
You certainly could add Liquid Silk if you’d like! I would recommend using it at a 1% usage rate π
Liquid Silk:
https://www.brambleberry.com/Liquid-Silk-P4097.aspx
-Amanda with Bramble Berry
Hi, I’ve been looking for a leave-in conditioner and can’t wait to try this. Can BTMS-50 be substituted for the Polysorbate 80.
Thanks,
Sarah
Hi Sarah,
Although there is such a small amount of Polysorbate 80 it may not make a big difference, I am not sure I would recommended the substitution. I will tell you that we tested dozens of recipes to find a formula that wouldn’t separate and was still thin enough to spray on. So you may find that it doesn’t work quite as well without the polysorbate 80. But if you do find a stable formula – we’d love to hear about it!~Amber
Can’t wait to try this! Just placed an order for some items for the shampoo and I have the rest already! Love when you can use products for more than one thing.
Hi Toni!
I’m glad you’re going to give this conditioner a try! We all really loved testing it :).
-Amanda with Bramble Berry