Home Cosmetic Science Talk Formulating Deodorant cream

  • Deodorant cream

    Posted by Mira on May 31, 2020 at 7:30 pm

    Hello everyone, @
    I am formulating a deodorant cream based on zinc ricinoleate, zinc oxide, bentonite (1-2% as absorbent), tea tree oil & bergamot EO as actives. 

    Not settled for an exact formula but it is a o/w cream. 
    I am considering it to have a whitening effect. So, i am thinking about two actives lactic acid & niacinamide . (excluded vit. C, kojic acid for the oxidation problems and irritation) 
    I read about niacinamide doesn’t go with AHA’S and for the active ph for each one. So, i am working with only one of them maybe besides Licorice extract. 
    Would you advice me, which one to go for use?
    Depending on their different mecahnism of action, What’s your recommendation? 
    Thank you in advance, appreciate any help for learning more. 

    Mira replied 4 years, 10 months ago 4 Members · 9 Replies
  • 9 Replies
  • OldPerry

    Professional Chemist / Formulator
    June 1, 2020 at 1:50 pm

    My advice is to keep your formula simple. Use FEWER ingredients. Don’t use 2 lighting ingredients. Start with 1. Once you get a product with 1 ingredient working, then you can add ingredients to see if there is an improvement.

    I’d also say first focus on your deodorant. Once you have that made, then you add an active to see if you can give a lightening effect.

    If you try to do too much in a formula you waste ingredients, time, and come up with a product that is not going to be optimized.

    When you’re first starting out…keep it simple.

  • Mira

    Member
    June 1, 2020 at 8:01 pm

    @Perry thank you so much 
    I appreciate your advice. 
    I will follow-up your guide 

  • Mira

    Member
    June 25, 2020 at 3:41 pm

    @Perry
     hello, if you please would help me about this. 
    I formulated the deodorant as following:

    Cetostearyl alcohol 5 %
    Viscolam AT 100p     2% emulsifier 
     (inci;

    Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Trideceth-10) 
    Carrageenan 0.2 %
    Oils 6%
    Sorbitol 2%
    Edta 0.1
    Zinc oxide 5%
    Zinc ricinoleate 3%
    Kaolin 5%
    Corn starch 2%
    Licorice  extract 5%
    Aloe vera extract 1%
    Vit.E 0.5 %
    Preservative 0. 5%
    Fragrance 1%
    Water up to 100

    The consistency of the cream is good and it’s spreading over skin. 
    But, I found the ph more than 8. I used lactic acid to lower it. 
    I added 3% lactic acid, ph now 7.1
    I still need to lower it to 5.5 but idk if high percent of it would be a good idea 
     would it be irritant? Do i need to use sodium lactate? 
    And is the kaolin causing that high ph?
    Ps. I choose kaolin over bentonite due to the high ph. 

  • ngarayeva001

    Member
    June 26, 2020 at 12:44 am

    Zinc oxide shifts ph up. Why do you need it at all?

  • Mira

    Member
    June 26, 2020 at 9:10 am

    Zinc oxide shifts ph up. Why do you need it at all?

    @ngarayeva001 
    Zinc oxide has antimicrobial effect and reduce body odor. 

  • letsalcido

    Member
    June 26, 2020 at 7:26 pm

    @Amira my two scents: I believe similar to sodium bicarbonate, the alkaline pH of Zinc Oxide is part of what makes a hostile environment and kills bacteria that cause bad odor in the underarms.  I’m not certain that you actually would want to lower the pH to a skin friendly pH. You may be letting go of some efficacy in doing so.

    If you are too worried about irritation, could try Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate which has a slightly acidic pH. I’m using a deodorant with it and it works on me just as well as the sodium bicarbonate ones that I love, and definitely less irritation. 

  • Mira

    Member
    June 26, 2020 at 8:47 pm

    @letsalcido 
    Thank you for your input. 
    But, u see that skin friendly ph is not the best for a deodorant? 
    Please would you explain this to me? 
    What i choose to be my actives are zinc ricinoleate and kaolin as odor absorbent, with antimicrobial oils like tea tree oil and rosmary EO. Without the need for high ph to kill bacteria. 
    Unfortunately, the saccharomyces ferment filtrate is not available in my country. 

  • letsalcido

    Member
    June 27, 2020 at 12:35 am

    @Amira I’m not a seasoned cosmetic chemist to be able to say with certainty that your formula at pH 5 would be effective or not. It also varies from person to person, diet, skin microbiome… maybe just try it. I just know that an alkaline pH will help get rid of odor causing bacteria. 

    I think tea tree and rosemary should be effective in there too.
  • Mira

    Member
    June 27, 2020 at 9:57 am

    @letsalcidob
    Thank you. I woud try making 2 samples with diferent  ph to see

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