Optiphen Plus turns into The Blob in lotion

Tagged: lotion, preservatives

Formulating

Optiphen Plus turns into The Blob in lotion

Posted by Anonymous on May 8, 2020 at 2:49 pm

I’ve been using this recipe for years now and I suppose it’s possible that I was using Benzoic, but I’m 98% certain that I’ve been using Scorbic all that time.. Anyway the last 3 times I’ve made this lotion, the Optiphen Plus turns into a gooey solid and precipitates to the bottom. I bought another bottle thinking maybe it was just a bad batch. I know ZERO about chemistry so forgive my ignorance.. I just don’t understand why this is happening all of a sudden. Any guidance is extremely appreciated! This is all oil phase still - it has not been combined with water yet.

Here is my recipe

E wax 5.00%

Stearic Acid 4.00%

Shea 2.00%

sweet almond 16.00%

Preservative 1.00%

Essential oils 2.00%

distilled water 65.00%

aloe 5.00%

Pharma replied 4 years, 7 months ago 4 Members · 7 Replies
- lotion
- preservatives
7 Replies

alchemist01

Member
May 8, 2020 at 5:12 pm

Your oil phase has waxes, so I imagine you’re heating it pretty high. Do you add the preservative in with heat or do you let it cool?

I’ve seen similar goop with phenoxyethanol (in Optiphen) when I carelessly added it above 100C.
Graillotion

Member
May 8, 2020 at 10:35 pm

I always add, after making the emulsion, and during cooldown….below 120F.

Any reason you are adding it so early?
ngarayeva001

Member
May 8, 2020 at 11:35 pm

@alchemist01, phenoxyethanol is very heat stable. Euxyl PE9010 can be heated to 110C, it’s the other ingredients that cause this issue.

Optiphen plus needs to be added below 60C.
Anonymous

Guest
May 9, 2020 at 12:25 am

The manufacturer recommends adding below 176F but I usually emulsify my lotion betwee 105-120F. I use essential oils so I never like having them too hot to burn off. This morning I tried again and added the Optiphen to the water phase. The first batch seemed to work but the second batch has some solids. I’m just baffled by this.
Anonymous

Guest
May 9, 2020 at 12:26 am

Graillotion said:

I always add, after making the emulsion, and during cooldown….below 120F.

Any reason you are adding it so early?

I’ve never tried this, but I will. Historically I always add it to the oils and then the oils into the water around 100-120F.
ngarayeva001

Member
May 9, 2020 at 8:32 am

Preservatives go either to waterphase or to cool down phase. You are trying to preserve water not oil! Of course it is turning into a blob.
Pharma

Member
May 9, 2020 at 6:13 pm

You probably added it too fast.