A liquid shower cleanser in gel, cream or oil form, used with hands or a pouf.
Generous lather that rinses clean, leaving skin soft rather than tight.
Shower gel, Creamy body wash, Shower oil, Exfoliating body wash
What it is
Body wash is a thickened surfactant system in water, similar to shampoo but tuned for skin. It cleans away sweat and sunscreen and can leave a light moisturising feel. Most versions are built around a fragrance.
Main risks are viscosity drift, separation of oils or pearl, fragrance change and microbial growth.
Packaging
Squeeze bottlePump bottlePouch
In the lab
How it is made
01Blend surfactantsInto water with low-shear mixing.
02Heat if neededFor pearlising agents or solid surfactants.
03Add moisturisers and fragrancePlus preservative.
04Adjust pHUsually with citric acid.
05Build viscosityWith salt or polymer at the end.
cold fill · 25 °CA liquid or piston filler runs at controlled speed to limit foam, and suits large formats and refill pouches.
Specifications
pH
pH 5–6.52 acid7 neutral10 alkaline
Viscosity at rest
3,000–12,000 mPa·swaterlotioncreambutterpaste
Batch sizes
50 L pilot1,000 L5,000 L production
Lab notes
Preservation
Required; a broad-spectrum system validated by challenge test to ISO 11930.
Stability testing
Storage at 40–45 °C and 4 °C, freeze–thaw, viscosity and pH tracking, and fragrance compatibility.
Regulatory, Australia
Cosmetic for cleansing claims; antibacterial claims are excluded from TGA regulation only under narrow conditions, so avoid disease-related claims. NSW bans plastic microbeads in rinse-off products.
