Home Cosmetic Science Talk Formulating Menthol/Methyl salicylate

  • Menthol/Methyl salicylate

    Posted by theo on October 23, 2017 at 12:44 pm

    Hello,

    Does anyone knows in what phase I have to pre mix (oil or water) menthol (1 %) and methyl salicylate (7.5 %)?

    Thank you.

    em88 replied 6 years, 4 months ago 4 Members · 12 Replies
  • 12 Replies
  • em88

    Member
    October 23, 2017 at 1:37 pm

    I am working in a very similar project. We should join forces! :)
    Menthol should be dissolved in alcohol, and this solution should be added after the cream is formulated and is almost cooled. While methyl salicylate can be added in the old phase. 

  • theo

    Member
    October 24, 2017 at 10:40 am

    Thank you @em88 for your response. I am at the beginning yet and I am looking for formulas.

    Some formulas said that you said me. Some others said to dissolve menthol in oil, without the use of alcohol. 

  • markbroussard

    Member
    October 24, 2017 at 11:07 am

    Dissolve Menthol in Oil and add to the formulation at 50C or less.  Menthyl Salicylate can be added at the same time as the Menthol

  • em88

    Member
    October 24, 2017 at 11:55 am

    Interesting, I didn’t know it would dissolve in the oil phase. Is this possible even if the menthol crystals are bigger? 
    Is there any specific ratio? 

  • markbroussard

    Member
    October 24, 2017 at 12:43 pm

    Yes, Menthol is oil-soluble … you may apply some heat to facilitate it dissolving …

  • em88

    Member
    October 24, 2017 at 1:30 pm

    Thank you. I will try this out. 

  • theo

    Member
    October 26, 2017 at 5:46 am

    Thank you both @em88 and @MarkBroussard for the useful advices!

  • em88

    Member
    November 7, 2017 at 4:04 pm

    Tested and I can confirmed, menthol dissolves very easy in the oil phase especially in a higher temperature! Very nice! :)
    Since we are in the topic, I have an other question. 
    When I add all these substances in the oil phase (especially methyl salicylate is around 15%) will increase the quantity of the oil phase and based on my tests, the final cream does not have a high viscosity (I had to add HEC to solve this issue) and I tend to believe the stability is not the best. Should I decrease the oil phase and add up more water (and hec) so the oil phase will be emulsified better? I’m going to test this tomorrow anyway. :) 

    Thank you
     

  • bill_toge

    Member
    November 7, 2017 at 4:10 pm

    @em88 what else do you have in the oil phase?

  • em88

    Member
    November 8, 2017 at 6:58 am

    I have cetearyl alcohol 15%, petrolatum 10%, paraffin oil 4% and tween 80/span 80 4% for hlb around 12
    In the oil phase I also add propylene glycol 5% which I’m thinking to remove it.
    Water phase is only 40% water and 0.75% hec 

  • bill_toge

    Member
    November 9, 2017 at 1:25 am

    if you want higher viscosity you’d be best off changing your emulsifier system, since Tween 80 and Span 80 are both liquids at room temperature: try using Tween 60 and Span 60 instead

  • em88

    Member
    November 9, 2017 at 2:31 pm

    Unfortunately we do not work with tween 60 and span 60, but that indeed is a good idea. 

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