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Oil percentage
Hi everyone. My first question on this forum. I have been making a face cream for a number of years which is popular with friends. However, with some knowledge, I wonder now a) is the oil ratio is too high? b) is the glycerine is too high? c) Do I need to add a stabiliser like cetyl alcohol or is the Olivem 1000 sufficient. It is emulsified with a hand whisk and is very stable.
Water phase:
Aqua 51.5%
glycerine (vegetable) 10%Oil phase
Cetearyl olivate & sorbitan olivate (Olivem 1000) 6%
Prunus dulcis (almond oil) 5%
Oenothera biennis (evening primrose) oil 5%
Simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) oil 5%
Rosa rubiginosa (rosehip) oil 5%
Sclerocarya birrea (marula) oil 5%
Aloe vera infused oil 5%Cooling phase:
Benzyl alcohol & dehydroacetic acid (Geogard 221) 1%
Tocopherol (Vitamin E) 0.5%
Daucus carota (carrot) oil 0.5%
Lavandula angustifolia (Lavender) EO 0.25%
Pelargonium graveolens (geranium) EO 0.25%Thank you
Deirdre
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5 Replies
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For enhanced stability you can add 0.2% Xanthan gum to the water phase. IMO the glycerin is too high, at 10% you might be getting some stickiness from it. I think using a fatty alcohol like cetyl would be a good idea, between 1-3%. No comments on the oil phase question, some of my emulsions are also oil heavy like that and are still stable though some more experienced users here recommend an oil phase more between 10-15%.
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Welcome to the forum and thanks for the question.
Unfortunately, your questions are difficult to answer without more information.
For example,
A) Is the oil ratio is too high? I don’t know. You say people like the product and the product is stable. If the product wasn’t stable or people thought the product was too oily, then YES the ratio is too high. But since people like the product and you say it’s stable then NO the ratio is fine.
B ) Is the glycerine is too high? If people like your product and it’s stable, then the glycerin is not too high. But if the formula is too expensive or it is unstable or people find it sticky, then it is too high.C) Do I need to add a stabiliser like cetyl alcohol? If the product is stable, then you don’t need a stabilizer.
Now, I suspect that you haven’t done a stability test on the formula and that maybe you don’t love the feel of the formula. If that is the case then you can adjust things. You could probably use less oil, less glycerin, and add cetyl alcohol to stabilize the formula. You could use a better preservative system and for the one you have you should add an acid to make sure the pH of the system is less than pH 5.0. Above that pH your preservative system isn’t very effective.
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Depends on your market. What kind of cream do people expect? Light-Medium? Medium-Heavy? etc.
(The first item is the rub-in sensorials, the second is the absorption time / persistence. EG, shea butter would be heavy-heavy.) -
I don’t think those oils have to be 5%. I’d probably add like 2% of each, unless you have some research done.
Regarding glycerin, indeed it too think it is too much. I’d go for 5% and add some xanthan gum like 0.2-0.3%.
If the formula is already stable, there is no need to other emulsifiers, xanthan gum should do the job. -
Thank-you everybody for the feedback, has been really helpful. I am going to reduce the glycerine. In terms of the some of the questions raised.
Perry - I have done some homemade stability testing, one jar has been in a hot water cupboard for around 10 weeks and still looks and feels good. If I did lower the glycerine, what acid and percentage should I use? (I’m about to get a pH meter which will help)?
Bleassi: agree, there are some who like the luxurious richness of the current formula and others that find it too rich to use as a day cream … will make a lighter one for them.
Again thanks - has been a great first-time experience so far
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