Home Cosmetic Science Talk Formulating General Stability Test

  • Stability Test

    Posted by Nitrick on January 24, 2017 at 10:32 am

    Hi Everyone

    Can you help me regarding stability test?
    We dont have Standard Operating Procedure for Stability Test, I just want to know, in cosmetics products, do we have a “universal procedure” ? I mean a procedure that most of R&D or Product developer follows.

    Thanks in advance 

    Pete replied 7 years, 11 months ago 3 Members · 8 Replies
  • 8 Replies
  • OldPerry

    Member
    January 25, 2017 at 12:33 am

    Here is the procedure that I use.

    https://chemistscorner.com/how-to-stability-test-a-cosmetic-formula/

    This is pretty much how most people do it in the cosmetic industry.  The PCPC publishes stability test procedures but it’s pretty much like the one I posted.

    How To Stability Test a Cosmetic Formula

  • Nitrick

    Member
    January 25, 2017 at 8:24 am

    Thank you ..
    I have questions Sir @Perry , (I hope you dont mind)
    8weeks(@45C) = 1 year, meaning, I need to store my sample in the oven for 6months to prove that the product has 3 years shelf life?

    How to establish tolerance of the parameters (pH, viscosity)? do we have standards or is this from company’s decision?

    Thank You Again Sir. 

  • Pete

    Member
    January 25, 2017 at 10:31 am

    Apart from testing for stability and viscosity how, if at all, is the stability of the active ingredient tested over the product shelf life (eg, VitC)?

  • OldPerry

    Member
    January 25, 2017 at 2:27 pm

    @nitrick - Stability this isn’t an exact science so a simple calculation like you did is a good estimate but should not be looked at as a rule.  This article has some information about stability testing and labeling.

    http://dgra.de/media/pdf/studium/masterthesis/master_engeler-plischka_c.pdf

    For tolerance parameters that’s up to the company. +/- 10% seems reasonable but it really depends on what you are testing. I would say the difference matters when a consumer could reasonably tell a difference. 

    @Pete - That depends on the active ingredient. For most ingredients you would do some sort of analytical assay to determine how much of the ingredient is still in the product.

  • Pete

    Member
    January 25, 2017 at 2:39 pm

    Thanks Perry

  • Nitrick

    Member
    January 26, 2017 at 1:34 am

    thanks @Perry 

  • Nitrick

    Member
    January 26, 2017 at 3:09 am

    One question again Sir @Perry, thank  you

    do you use Arrhenius Principle in predicting the shelf life ??

  • OldPerry

    Member
    January 26, 2017 at 4:20 pm

    Arrehenius Principle - Sort of.  Stability testing assumes that higher temperatures will quicken the rate of any degrading reactions. This is why 45C can approximate 1 Year at RT.  However, cosmetic systems are too complicated for it to be of much predictive use.

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