Home Cosmetic Science Talk Formulating Formula with 2 low HLB emulsifiers

  • Formula with 2 low HLB emulsifiers

    Posted by joseg on September 18, 2014 at 10:49 pm
    In the following formula for a cream currently in the market, how were they able to emulsify using 2 low HLB emulsifiers? I thought a stable emulsion requires a low and high HLB emulsifier. 
    Water, PEG-2 stearate (HLB=4.3), Glyceryl Stearate SE (HLB=5.8), Cetyl Alcohol, Isopropyl Myristate, Carnauba Wax, Phenoxyethanol. 
    chemist77 replied 9 years, 6 months ago 6 Members · 5 Replies
  • 5 Replies
  • bill_toge

    Member
    September 19, 2014 at 3:58 am

    Glyceryl Stearate SE (self-emulsifying) means it’s a mixture of glyceryl stearate and sodium stearate; since sodium stearate is anionic, and the HLB system is only meaningful where non-ionic surfactants are involved, that HLB value is not indicative of its power as an O/W emulsifier

    and since PEG-2 stearate is typically used as a bulking agent rather than an emulsifier (e.g. as Cithrol DEGMS from Croda), my guess is that it helps in physically preventing the emulsion from separating

  • nasrins

    Member
    September 20, 2014 at 3:00 am

    cetyl alcohol has required HLB= 15

  • edward

    Member
    September 21, 2014 at 8:29 am

    Nasrins where on earth did you get that information from?

  • bobzchemist

    Member
    September 21, 2014 at 11:06 am
  • chemist77

    Member
    September 21, 2014 at 11:24 am

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