Home Cosmetic Science Talk Formulating Optiphen Plus turns into The Blob in lotion

  • Optiphen Plus turns into The Blob in lotion

    Posted by Anonymous on May 8, 2020 at 2:49 pm

    I’ve been using this recipe for years now and I suppose it’s possible that I was using Benzoic, but I’m 98% certain that I’ve been using Scorbic all that time.. Anyway the last 3 times I’ve made this lotion, the Optiphen Plus turns into a gooey solid and precipitates to the bottom.  I bought another bottle thinking maybe it was just a bad batch.  I know ZERO about chemistry so forgive my ignorance.. I just don’t understand why this is happening all of a sudden.  Any guidance is extremely appreciated!  This is all oil phase still - it has not been combined with water yet.

    Here is my recipe 

    E wax 5.00%
    Stearic Acid 4.00%
    Shea 2.00%
    sweet almond 16.00%
    Preservative 1.00%
    Essential oils 2.00%
    distilled water 65.00%
    aloe 5.00%

    pharma replied 3 years, 10 months ago 4 Members · 7 Replies
  • 7 Replies
  • alchemist01

    Member
    May 8, 2020 at 5:12 pm

    Your oil phase has waxes, so I imagine you’re heating it pretty high. Do you add the preservative in with heat or do you let it cool?

    I’ve seen similar goop with phenoxyethanol (in Optiphen) when I carelessly added it above 100C.

  • graillotion

    Member
    May 8, 2020 at 10:35 pm

    I always add, after making the emulsion, and during cooldown….below 120F.

    Any reason you are adding it so early?

  • ngarayeva001

    Member
    May 8, 2020 at 11:35 pm

    @alchemist01, phenoxyethanol is very heat stable. Euxyl PE9010 can be heated to 110C, it’s the other ingredients that cause this issue. 

    Optiphen plus needs to be added below 60C.
  • Anonymous

    Guest
    May 9, 2020 at 12:25 am

    The manufacturer recommends adding below 176F but I usually emulsify  my lotion betwee 105-120F.  I use essential oils so I never like having them too hot to burn off.  This morning I tried again and added the Optiphen to the water phase.  The first batch seemed to work but the second batch has some solids.  I’m just baffled by this.

  • Anonymous

    Guest
    May 9, 2020 at 12:26 am

    I always add, after making the emulsion, and during cooldown….below 120F.

    Any reason you are adding it so early?

    I’ve never tried this, but I will.  Historically I always add it to the oils and then the oils into the water around 100-120F.

  • ngarayeva001

    Member
    May 9, 2020 at 8:32 am

    Preservatives go either to waterphase or to cool down phase. You are trying to preserve water not oil! Of course it is turning  into a blob.

  • pharma

    Member
    May 9, 2020 at 6:13 pm

    You probably added it too fast.

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