• General

  mixing pH

  Posted by crillz on December 9, 2020 at 11:23 am

  Making a hydrating lotion and the pH came out at 3.5
  I understand I can raise the pH through Triethanalomine, Sodium Hydroxide or Arginine which I have just learnt. 
  I used citric acid as a chelating agent but understand it also can decrease the pH a small amount. Is it ok to keep citric acid in the product and up the pH with one of the above 3 ingredients or will that  just make them work against each other.

  For the sake of it ingredients were:
  Aqua                      67%
  Glycerin                  4%
  Xanthan Gum         0.5%
  Cetearyl Olivate Sorbitan Olivate (Olivem 1000) 4%
  Glyceryl Stearate     2%
  Cetyl Alcohol          2%
  Shea Butter             1.5%
  Macadamia Oil        4%
  caprylic capric triglyceride  5%
  Vitamin E                0.3%
  Glyceryl Caprylate/glyceryl undecylenate (plantaserv N) 1% 
  Lemon Lime Frag    0.3%
  Citric Acid               0.2%

  Also after watching the Preservatives webinar yesterday I think I will add a second preservative, both at half level.

    

  crillz replied 4 years ago 2 Members · 3 Replies

  • formulation
  • ph
• 3 Replies

• 

  crillz

  Member

  December 9, 2020 at 12:12 pm

  Water is 75.2 percent sorry. Not 67.

• 

  ketchito

  Member

  December 9, 2020 at 12:52 pm

  @crillz Citric acid is a pH regulator rather than a chelator. Sodium citrate (which is the salt formed after neutralizing Citric acid with Sodium hydroxide) is a chelator, but for that you need to raise pH above 6.4 (so carboxylic groups are proton-free and can properly interact with metallic ions). 

  When you add an additional preservative, make it an antifungal since the system you’re using lacks of activity against mold and yeast. 

• 

  crillz

  Member

  December 9, 2020 at 10:00 pm

  Thanks ketchito, I thought citric acid did both. Will do with the preservative

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