Home Cosmetic Science Talk Formulating Incorporate water in lip balm

  • Incorporate water in lip balm

    Posted by weldo on October 19, 2017 at 8:30 am

    Hello,

    I have already some food flavour (propylene glycol as carrier) in large quantity that I would like to use in a lip balm. So I have to add around 3 to 5% water phase to the lip balm (its gonna help the sucralose to dissolve too). 
    to incorporate the water phase I looked for some emulsifier and I found that lanolin + lecithin could make the job.

    My actual formulation is:
    45% oil
    15% Beewax
    15% sheabutter
    20% Petroleum
    1% Vitamin E Acetate
    0.2% Vitamin E Tocopherol
    0.1% Sucralose
    (and some food flavor that I want to add)

    the formulation I would like to try:
    40% oil
    15% Lanolin (instead of beewax)
    15% sheabutter
    20% Petroleum
    5% lecithin
    1% Vitamin E Acetate
    0.2% Vitamin E Tocopherol
    and the water phase:
    3% food flavor
    0.1% Sucralose

    As I never worked with Lanolin and Lecithin I’m open to advices and suggestions before I try it.

    Can it be stable?
    15% lanolin and 5% lecithin is enough to incorporate 3 to 5% water phase?
    Should I add some preservative?
    Should I try other emulsifier?

    Any advice/thoughts would be highly appreciated! 
    thanks 

    chemnc replied 6 years, 5 months ago 3 Members · 3 Replies
  • 3 Replies
  • bobzchemist

    Member
    October 19, 2017 at 1:45 pm

    Adding water to lipstick (or any lip product) makes it absolutely mandatory to have a robust preservative system.

  • weldo

    Member
    October 20, 2017 at 10:42 am

    Thanks for your advice Bobzchemist,
    Should I add more preservative even if I only add food flavor (propylene glycol)?

    I just got all the products except lecithin. But the anhydrous lanolin can carry up to 25% w/w so I will try with 10% lanolin and 2% food flavor.

  • chemnc

    Member
    October 21, 2017 at 1:32 am

    Preservatives for lip balms are a challenge. Very few available.

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