Abstract
Background: Hair fall, dandruff, and scalp discomfort have increased consumer demand for mild, effective, and plant-derived hair-care products. Conventional shampoos frequently depend on sulphated surfactants and synthetic additives, which may produce dryness, irritation, and consumer distrust during repeated use. Objective: This research article aimed to formulate and evaluate a sulphate-free polyherbal shampoo containing Shikakai, Reetha, Neem, Amla, and Fenugreek for hair fall, dandruff control, scalp safety, physicochemical quality, microbiological stability, and consumer efficacy. Materials and Method: The article used experimental data generated through botanical authentication, green extraction, pilot-scale formulation, physicochemical testing, microbiological evaluation, six-month stability observation, and an eight-week consumer-use trial involving 25 adults with mild to moderate hair fall. Results: Sample 2 was identified as the optimized formulation. It showed a scalp-compatible average pH of approximately 6.0, viscosity of 11,925 cP, 88% foam retention after ten minutes, and a total viable count of 3 CFU/g, far below the stated limit of 500 CFU/g. Consumer evaluation showed 100% perceived anti-dandruff effectiveness, 96% positive hair-growth perception, 68% perceived hair fall reduction, complete appearance satisfaction, and no reported adverse effects. Comparative analysis showed that the prototype performed better than two market shampoos in viscosity, microbial purity, consumer-perceived efficacy, and safety. Conclusion: The sulphate-free polyherbal shampoo demonstrated strong physicochemical, microbiological, and consumer-efficacy evidence and represents a promising candidate for larger controlled clinical evaluation and industrial scale-up.