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Honey Gel Mask
Hi everyone, I would
like to seek your opinion about this formulation. So, I have made
this simple hydrating gel mask using this formulation below:88.5% Distilled
Water5% Glycerin
2% Honey Extract
1% Royal Jelly
Extract0.5% Panthenol
2% Xanthan Gum
0.2% Sodium
Gluconate0.8% Preservative
And I recently
received a raw honey as a gift, I was thinking to incorporate the raw
honey into this gel mask. Is it possible ? As the raw honey is very
very thick, how to dissolve it into this formulation ? Does anyone
have experience using raw honey in formulating a product ?(As for this
formulation, it works fine, just a bit tingling when I use them,
don’t know why though T_T but it hydrates my skin quite well, so
I’m pushing through.)Thank you so much
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20 Replies
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It’s hard to preserve. You need a good preservative.
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ngarayeva001 said:It’s hard to preserve. You need a good preservative.
That’s what I have in mind too, I’m using optiphen+ though, would it be enough ? I’m thinking of using the raw honey at 2% for this formulation.
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It looks ok overall. The only thing I would recommend, if you can find carbomer use it instead of xantham gum. If you don’t have carbomer, try 0.5% of xantham first. If too runny, make it 1. 2% sounds like too much.
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ngarayeva001 said:It looks ok overall. The only thing I would recommend, if you can find carbomer use it instead of xantham gum. If you don’t have carbomer, try 0.5% of xantham first. If too runny, make it 1. 2% sounds like too much.
Thank you so much for the input, now that I look at my finished product, it is too thick, I guess I put waaaaay too much xanthan gum in it.
I haven’t use carbomer, but I can acquire it, however my supplier told me I need some sort of neutralizing agent to go with it, can you give me any suggestion if I decide to work with it ?
Thank you so much.
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You need triethanolamine (TEA) to neutralize carbomer. It is not expensive, easily accessible and easy to use. You can also use NaOH, but unless you are making soap and have it on hand I don’t recommend buying it. There are many types of carbomer, some of which do not need neutralization. Ask your supplier what they have. But any carbomer is better than xantham gum. Carbomer makes clear and bouncy gels.
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ngarayeva001 said:You need triethanolamine (TEA) to neutralize carbomer. It is not expensive, easily accessible and easy to use. You can also use NaOH, but unless you are making soap and have it on hand I don’t recommend buying it. There are many types of carbomer, some of which do not need neutralization. Ask your supplier what they have. But any carbomer is better than xantham gum. Carbomer makes clear and bouncy gels.
Thank you for your input. I’m thinking of using carbomer now, my supplier has this one (Ultrez21) but that’s the only he has in stock as of now. And it does need neutralizing agent to work.
Since I’m making a gel mask, thick consistency, shall I start with the carbomer at 0.5% or jump straight to 1% ?
And what do you think about dissolving the raw honey in the glycerin first before incorporating them to the formulation ?
Thank you
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It should be a good one. I worked with another crosslinked polymer (same inci as ultrez 21). Make sure you let it hydrate before neutralising or you will end up with lumps. Leave it and don’t stirr, it doesn’t like high shear. Skip sodium gluconate, it might affect viscocity. Add TEA by drop (literally one drop, mix check pH, one more drop etc) and check pH until you are around 7 and it will thicken. Also you will get high viscocity at 0.5%. Try on water first.
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ngarayeva001 said:It should be a good one. I worked with another crosslinked polymer (same inci as ultrez 21). Make sure you let it hydrate before neutralising or you will end up with lumps. Leave it and don’t stirr, it doesn’t like high shear. Skip sodium gluconate, it might affect viscocity. Add TEA by drop (literally one drop, mix check pH, one more drop etc) and check pH until you are around 7 and it will thicken. Also you will get high viscocity at 0.5%. Try on water first.
Thank you for the tips, it helps me a lot.
I haven’t made the actual formulation, I’m testing it on water as you suggest it. I learnt that the carbomer will thicken on pH 7, a very newbie question.. how do I lower the pH of the finished product ? using citric acid ?
Happy holidays and thank you again for giving me your input.
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@Mrs_ditdut, get two dropper bottles for pH adjustment liquids. One should be 50% solution of citric acid (it will dissolve easily even in cold water) another for 18% NaOH solution. You can use triethanolamine (TEA) or NaOH. NaOH is cheaper, considered ‘natural’ and stronger. It’s the matter of preference which one you want to use to increase pH (I use TEA, because I formulate for myself and friends and don’t care about ‘natural’ label. Also they sell it in large packs and you don’t need a lot unless you are making soap). For decreasing, it’s always citric acid. I know that lactic acid is used sometimes but citric is the industry standard. Happy holidays!
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@ngarayeva001
NaOH is considered ‘natural’? -
Sodium Hydroxide is allowed under the “natural standards” as a pH Modifier. The standards will not allow staples such as TEA. -
Ecocert allows it as far as I am aware.
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Also allowed under the COSMOS standard in Appendix IV I believe.
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Ok, thanks guys, didn’t know that! :+1:
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ngarayeva001 said:@Mrs_ditdut, get two dropper bottles for pH adjustment liquids. One should be 50% solution of citric acid (it will dissolve easily even in cold water) another for 18% NaOH solution. You can use triethanolamine (TEA) or NaOH. NaOH is cheaper, considered ‘natural’ and stronger. It’s the matter of preference which one you want to use to increase pH (I use TEA, because I formulate for myself and friends and don’t care about ‘natural’ label. Also they sell it in large packs and you don’t need a lot unless you are making soap). For decreasing, it’s always citric acid. I know that lactic acid is used sometimes but citric is the industry standard. Happy holidays!
Thank you so much for your input
it helps me a lot and I’m very grateful for that. -
I’m facing a problem with incorporating honey (raw manuka honey) into this formulation.
Does anyone have experience in using honey in their product ?
How to dissolve it properly so i can add it into my water phase ? and do i need emulsifier for it ?
Thank you.
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It is not an oil and you do not need an emulsifier. Honey should dissolve in water. What is the problem?
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Yes honey dissolves in water and if your lucky you may end up making mead! but it also becomes food for yeasts and microbes. Honey on its own is full of phenolics etc which I believe keep it preserved in its natural state.Maybe add the raw honey at the end of the formulation when the last phase has cooled to the same as the honey temp. Then mix is through?
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Dr Catherine Pratt said:Yes honey dissolves in water and if your lucky you may end up making mead! but it also becomes food for yeasts and microbes. Honey on its own is full of phenolics etc which I believe keep it preserved in its natural state.Maybe add the raw honey at the end of the formulation when the last phase has cooled to the same as the honey temp. Then mix is through?
Agreed. Only if it’s used pure at 100% (and untreated). Once dilluted it’s a source of contamination.
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Exactly!
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