Home Cosmetic Science Talk Formulating What is the best conditioning ingredient in wash-off formula?

  • What is the best conditioning ingredient in wash-off formula?

    Posted by MarkHkang on January 22, 2015 at 10:40 pm

    Hi y’all.

    I am trying to make a wash off foot mask with which I want to claim that it moisturizes while it detoxifies the body. 
    I am going to use bentonite clay and kaolin and mix with glycerin. No water. However, it doesn’t feel as moisturizing as most of glycerin does not stay on your skin when the product is washed off.  
    Can someone recommend a good conditioning agent that is water soluble and stays on your skin after washing? 
    MarkHkang replied 9 years, 2 months ago 5 Members · 16 Replies
  • 16 Replies
  • belassi

    Member
    January 23, 2015 at 7:11 pm

    You’d have to use a film former I think. However, I can’t see the point. I have been trialling a bentonite/kaolin/CaCO3 clay combination as a facial mask using plain water to make it up (we sell the dry powder mix) and it is lovely as a facial conditioner just by itself.

  • bobzchemist

    Member
    January 23, 2015 at 8:12 pm

    I’m not sure that leaving something potentially slippery on your customer’s feet is all that smart of an idea. In fact, it could be potentially disastrous. 

    I’d try an additional humectant rather than look for a conditioning agent. Sorbitol, for example.

  • MarkHkang

    Member
    January 23, 2015 at 10:52 pm

    @Belassi

    Thank you. Just a combination of Bentonite/kaolin/ Caco3 would give you a conditioning effect by themselves?  Is it a wash off product? 
    Thank you. Disastrous because of its low viscosity and it would be dripping everywhere?  Actually I am mixing these with Polyquaternium-37 to make it a really thick and gooey kind of product. Also, I am aiming to make cold-processed product that doesn’t require me to heat up any materials. So far, it has not been that moisturizing. But I will try Sorbitol. Thanks. Any suggestions on the % use level? I have never used sorbitol before lol. 
  • MarkHkang

    Member
    January 23, 2015 at 11:03 pm

    I also tried adding vegetable oil with cetrimonium chloride being a surfactant, thinking by adding oil would give more moisturizing to the skin. They are stable but, it didn’t give a noticeable effect. 

    Is there any ingredient that would be absorbed in the skin quickly and would give noticeable conditioning effect? 

  • braveheart

    Member
    January 23, 2015 at 11:56 pm

    Perhaps, the % of the glycerin was not enough.

    Every time I use glycerin at a very % to wash, I feel the effect; that was just me, but I am sure many would agree.
  • belassi

    Member
    January 24, 2015 at 2:04 am

    Clay is something that is pretty tricky.

    1. Bentonite (green) is very active and on its own gives a pronounced heating effect.
    2. This heating effect is counteracted by the “Cal” (I am using the Spanish word. I don’t know what type of calcium it is)
    3. Kaolin holds the blend together and allows even spreading of the mask.
    4. Ingredients need to be very finely milled or will not spread properly and will clump and fall off.
    The effect of a properly blended clay mask alone is quite impressive and we are actively trying to source more. And to answer your question, yes, it is a wash off product.
  • belassi

    Member
    January 24, 2015 at 2:08 am

    By the way I don’t know where you get your sorbitol but mine is a white powder. Bobz suggestion is in fact very good. Quite some time ago I did some patch testing with sorbitol vs other humectants and it was noticeably effective.

  • chemist77

    Member
    January 24, 2015 at 6:13 am

    @Belassi That term mask reminds me of Sodium Alginate masks which are quite popular in this category. And of course alongwith Diatomaceous earth. 

  • belassi

    Member
    January 24, 2015 at 2:28 pm

    Diatomaceous earth is useful for something in cosmetics? I have a source of that, direct from the mine, very inexpensive.

  • chemist77

    Member
    January 24, 2015 at 3:26 pm

    I have seen that in few French formulas like body wraps.

  • belassi

    Member
    January 24, 2015 at 5:20 pm

    It is dangerous stuff to have around.

  • chemist77

    Member
    January 25, 2015 at 2:43 am

    Would love to know more about the danger @Belassi.

  • belassi

    Member
    January 25, 2015 at 2:49 pm

    It is an extreme inhalation risk.

  • chemist77

    Member
    January 25, 2015 at 4:00 pm

    Yeah the downside of many powder form chemicals including carbomers, HEC and many more IMHO.

  • belassi

    Member
    January 25, 2015 at 7:29 pm

    For sure. I always wear a mask when using carbomer, sodium hydroxide, etc.

  • MarkHkang

    Member
    January 26, 2015 at 2:09 pm

    @braveheart

    Actually I am using about 30-35 % total mass of glycerin, but I don’t feel that moisturizing. 
    Yes, I did see that the clay clump together and fall off the skin. Thanks for the comments. Yeah I have formulated a facial clay mask that works great but it contains water and need to be heated. Now I am looking into no water leg and feet clay mask that would give significant moisturizing effect that customers would notice. I will indeed try Sorbitol :)

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