Why Are Clear Conditioners So Rare? Discover the Science—and the Breakthrough That Could Change This

Ever wondered why your shampoo is crystal clear but your conditioner always looks like a creamy cloud? It’s not just a design choice—it’s chemistry. Alomgir Ali, Senior Application Scientist and Carole Gherardi, Market Segment Lead explains the science behind this, and how you can potentially unlock a transparent hair conditioner formulation. This article first appeared in Cosmetics Business, March 2023.

Traditional conditioners rely on fats, oils, silicones, and positively charged molecules that bind to the negatively charged surface of damaged hair. These ingredients coat the hair cuticle in a way that makes combing and movement between hair fibers more fluid and require less energy. These conditioning components typically have a long, oil-loving moiety within the molecule that is insoluble in water. This means that a transparent, water-based formulation is difficult to make, as the oil-loving part of the molecule will want to separate from the water immediately. There are, of course, clear oils which would make fantastic transparent bases, but oil thickening is often an issue. Additionally, if some of the conditioning raw materials are solids and opaque at room temperature, the final formulation will be turbid and likely have a poor sensory feel.  

The workaround that has been used for over a century is to create an emulsion. One common emulsion is an oil-in-water mixture, where microscopic droplets of oil (and some of the conditioning agents) are suspended in a continuous phase of water (which contains structure-creating and thickening agents). Surfactants, emulsifiers and other conditioning agents sit at the surface between the oil and the water, holding the whole formulation together, resulting in a beautiful and thick, but white and opaque, hair conditioner. 

How to formulate a clear conditioner with AURIST™ AGC

But what if you could unlock the potential of a transparent formulation that could condition just as well as the standard conditioners on the market? A transparent formulation can open up the opportunity to build a novel and exciting format for a product people have used for decades. After all, transparency in formulations has always implied premium quality and superior formula stability. Water-based formulations have far fewer thickening constraints than their oil-based counterparts, and make it much easier to build a sustainable, biodegradable formula. 

AURISTTM AGC is a novel biobased and biodegradable conditioning polymer from a new class of biopolymers called Designed Enzymatic Biopolymers (DEB). DEB uses a unique enzymatic process to create bespoke biopolymers from sugar, at mild conditions and with high purity. The polymers can be branched or further functionalized.  With the recent increase in silicone-free claims and current conditioners of choice such as the quaternary ammonium salt based conditioning ingredients falling out of favor due to their often low naturality, potential for irritation and persistence in the environment, there is a strong demand in the personal care industry for biobased, next generation conditioners. Existing cationic solutions are often difficult to formulate with and may not be compatible in transparent formulations. 

AURIST^TM AGC is a water-soluble cationic biopolymer, supplied in liquid form and can be used in both hot and cold process formulations.  It is readily biodegradable and shows no irritation. It can be used alongside other conditioning polymers to create a standard conditioning emulsion. In this article, we demonstrate the true potential of AURIST™ AGC by creating a clear conditioner with a high natural origin content of 96,43% according to ISO 16128. 

For a water-based, transparent hair conditioner formulation, we’ve selected Hydroxyethylcellulose to build a transparent matrix within the formulation, helping to suspend oil droplets dispersed throughout the mixture. The structure and body of the formula is built and supported by using Polyglyceryl-based, natural emulsifiers which allow for a clear base. To aid solubility of raw materials as well as to provide lubrication, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside is added. This surfactant is supplied as a clear dilution and is low foaming, exhibiting excellent sensory in application and easy rinse off. 

For benefits and claims, Propanediol is a clear and natural solubilizer that helps to incorporate the perfume as well as to boost shine and softness of hair. Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine is added as a co-conditioner along with Glyceryl Oleate, both of which can be used at low levels to create a transparent formulation. GENENCARE® OSMS BA (INCI: Betaine) and GENENCARE ® OSMS MI (INCI: Inositol) which dissolve completely in water, impart hair strengthening properties and contribute to scalp care. 

This hair conditioner formulation applies beautifully and provides easy combing and excellent hair feel. It features high naturality ingredients while maintaining complete transparency and opens up a world of different customization options in a market that is dominated by white, opaque products.