A liquid shampoo consists essentially of an anionic sulphated or sulphonated detergent salt, an aqueous medium and a minor proportion of behenic acid, which may be partially neutralized to form a soap. The detergents may be salts of sulphated or sulphonated aliphatic compounds, such as acyl compounds wherein the acyl group contains 8-22 carbon atoms, particularly the aliphatic carboxylic ester type, or alkyl acyl sulphonates in which the alkyl chain has 8 to 22 and preferably 12 to 18 carbon atoms.  Specified aliphatic compounds are sulphates of polyhydric alcohols incompletely esterified with higher fatty acids, e.g. coconut oil monoglyceride monosulphate or tallow diglyceride monosulphate; higher alkyl sulphates, e.g. lauryl sulphate, cetyl sulphate or higher fatty alcohol sulphates derived from reduced coconut oil fatty acids; higher fatty acid esters of hydroxy aliphatic sulphonic acids, e.g. higher fatty acid esters of 2-3 di-hydroxypropane sulphonic acid; higher fatty acid esters of alkylol sulphonic acids, e.g. oleic acid ester of isethionic acid; and the higher fatty acid amides of amino alkyl sulphonic acids, e.g. the lauryl amide of taurine These anionic detergents are in the form of water soluble salts such as amine, alkali and alkaline earth metal salts.  It is preferred to use ammonium, lithium or amine (including alkylolamine) salts.  The behenic acid may be partially neutralized to form a soap, preferably with an amine such as an alkylolamine, although sodium and potassium hydroxides may be used.  Enough base is usually added to bring the pH of the resulting composition within the range 5 to 7.5 and preferably 5.8 to 7.  The proportion of detergent salt is generally at least 5 per cent by weight of the total composition and usually from 10-35 per cent with a preferred range of 15-30 per cent.  The proportion of behenic acid (including its soap, when present) varies with the amount of detergent salt, but is usually not more than 10 per cent and preferably 1-5 per cent by weight of the total composition. The quantity of water is generally above 50 per cent and preferably above 60 per cent of the total weight of the composition.  Minor proportions of other substances may be added, such as perfumes; inorganic phosphates such as those of sodium, potassium and ammonium; lanolin; fatty alcohols such as myristyl, cetyl and stearyl alcohols; fatty amides such as myristamide, palmitylamide, stearylamide, palmitylethanolamide or myristylpropanolamide; fatty acids; citric acid; glycerine; dyes; whitening agents; sodium benzoate; methyl p-hydroxy benzoate; carboxymethyl cellulose and gum tragacanth.  In an example, a liquid shampoo consists of the sodium salt of the sulphated monoglyceride of hydrogenated coconut oil fatty acids (containing 10 per cent inorganic sulphate) 25 per cent; behenic acid 3.5 per cent; lanolin 0.5 per cent; triethanolamine 1.2 per cent; methyl p-hydroxy benzoate 0.15 per cent; perfume oil 0.4 per cent; and water 69.25 per cent, all percentages being by weight.ALSO:A liquid shampoo consists essentially of an anionic sulphated or sulphonated detergent salt, an aqueous medium and a minor proportion of behenic acid, which may be partially neutralized to form a soap.  The detergents may be salts of sulphated or sulphonated aliphatic compounds such as acyl compounds wherein the acyl group contains 8-22 carbon atoms, particularly the aliphatic carboxylic ester type, or alkyl aryl sulphonates in which the alkyl chain has 8 to 22, and preferably 12 to 18 carbon atoms. Specified aliphatic compounds are sulphates of polyhydric alcohols incompletely esterified with higher fatty acids, e.g. coconut oil monoglyceride monosulphate or tallow diglyceride monosulphate; higher alkyl sulphates, e.g. lauryl sulphate, cetyl sulphate or higher fatty alcohol sulphates derived from reduced coconut oil fatty acids; higher fatty acid esters of hydroxy aliphatic sulphonic acids, e.g. higher fatty esters of 2.3 dihydroxypropane sulphonic acid; higher fatty acid esters of alkylol sulphonic acids, e.g. oleic acid ester of isothionic acid; and the higher fatty acid amides of amino alkyl sulphonic acids, e.g. the lauryl amide of taurine.  These anionic detergents are in the form of water-soluble salts such as amine, alkali and alkaline earth metal salts.  It is preferred to use ammonium, lithium, or amine (including alkylolamine) salts.  The behenic acid may be partially neutralized to form a soap, preferably with an amine such as an alkylolamine, although sodium or potassium hydroxides may be used.  Enough base is usually added to bring the pH of the resulting composition within the range 5 to 7.5, and preferably 5.8 to 7.  The proportion of detergent salt is generally at least 5 per cent by weight of the total composition and usually from 10 to 35 per cent with a preferred range of 15 to 30 per cent. The proportion of behenic acid (including its soap, when present) varies with the amount of detergent salt, but is usually not more than 10 per cent and preferably 1 to 5 per cent by weight of the total composition.  Minor proportions of other substances may be added, such as perfumes; inorganic phosphates such as those of sodium, potassium and ammonium; lanolin; fatty alcohols such as myristyl, cetyl and stearyl alcohols; fatty amides such as myristamide, palmitylamide, stearylamide, palmitylethanolamide or myristylpropanolamide; fatty acids; citric acid; glycerine; dyes; whitening agents; sodium benzoate; methyl para-hydroxybenzoate; carboxymethyl cellulose and gum tragacanth.  In an example, a liquid shampoo consists of the sodium salt of the sulphated monoglyceride of hydrogenated coconut oil fatty acids (containing 10 per cent inorganic sulphate) 25; behenic acid 3.5; lanolin 0.5; triethanolamine 1.2; methyl para-hydroxybenzoate 0.15; perfume oil 0.4, and water 69.25 per cent, all percentages being by weight.