Isopropyl alcohol and beeswax

Formulating

Isopropyl alcohol and beeswax

Posted by Oladoo on February 5, 2018 at 4:29 pm

Please how do I use to stabilize an ointment formulation containing beeswax and IPA? I used IPA as a solvent for the active ingredient. But the ointment is not stable, it appears the oil is separating

Oladoo replied 7 years, 2 months ago 5 Members · 13 Replies
13 Replies

OldPerry

Professional Chemist / Formulator
February 5, 2018 at 5:07 pm

You would need to provide more information for anyone to answer. Specifically, what is your whole formula?
Oladoo

Member
February 5, 2018 at 5:33 pm

Thanks Perry. The formula goes like this: Beeswax 0.5%, IPA 5%, Oil around 90%
Oladoo

Member
February 5, 2018 at 5:37 pm

Sorry, beeswax is around 11%
belassi

Member
February 5, 2018 at 11:30 pm

IPA is polar, you cannot expect to mix that with the nonpolar waxes without an emulsifier, and then it would become like a water-in-oil emulsion I assume.
Oladoo

Member
February 6, 2018 at 8:33 am

Thank you Belassi. Which emulsifier will you suggest please?
belassi

Member
February 6, 2018 at 4:52 pm

I’m unable to help, sorry. W/O emulsions are outside my current areas of expertise. I’m sure others will assist.
Doreen

Member
February 6, 2018 at 5:13 pm

The numbers don’t add up to 100, what is the whole formula?
Oladoo

Member
February 6, 2018 at 6:08 pm

Thanks. The whole formula: Beeswax 10%. IPA 9.2%. Essential oils 10.5%. Coconut oil 70.2%.
belassi

Member
February 6, 2018 at 6:13 pm

Essential oils 10.5%. MADNESS!
Doreen

Member
February 6, 2018 at 6:15 pm

Wow, that’s a lot of essential oil!
Why IPA btw? I see nothing that needs solubilizing?
Oladoo

Member
February 6, 2018 at 6:25 pm

An API needs to be dissolved in IPA,
Bill_Toge

Professional Chemist / Formulator
February 6, 2018 at 7:52 pm

what you need is an intermediate solvent that is miscible both with beeswax/coconut oil, and with IPA

try using an ester of some kind
Oladoo

Member
February 6, 2018 at 10:32 pm

Thank you Bill