Formulation And Evaluation of Herbal Anti-Dandruff Shampoo

The present study aims to formulate and evaluate a herbal anti-dandruff shampoo using natural ingredients with a focus on safety, efficacy, and improved hair care performance. Shampoos represent one of the largest segments of hair care products and are widely used in daily personal hygiene. However, the extensive use of synthetic chemicals in conventional shampoos has raised concerns due to their potential adverse effects on scalp and hair health. This study emphasizes the replacement of harmful synthetic components with safer, plant-based alternatives.The herbal shampoo was formulated using extracts of Aegle marmelos (Bael fruit) as the primary active ingredient, along with Eclipta alba (Bhringraj), Acacia concinna (Shikakai), Hibiscus sabdariffa (Hibiscus), Sapindus mukorossi (Reetha), Calendula officinalis (Marigold), Centella asiatica (Brahmi), Musa acuminata (Banana root), Vigna radiata (Green gram), and Citrus limon (Lemon) in varying proportions.The formulated shampoo was evaluated using various physicochemical parameters, including physical appearance, pH determination, dirt dispersion, percentage solid content, surface tension, wetting time, viscosity, skin irritation, and foam stability. The results indicated that the shampoo exhibited a dark brown colour, satisfactory foam stability, effective cleansing ability, low surface tension, optimal pH, and good conditioning properties. Overall, the developed herbal shampoo demonstrated desirable characteristics comparable to standard formulations, suggesting its suitability for daily use. However, further studies, including stability testing and clinical evaluations, are recommended to validate its long-term safety.