Home Cosmetic Science Talk Formulating Advanced Questions How to prevent color change of salicylic acid in a cationic formula?

  • How to prevent color change of salicylic acid in a cationic formula?

    Posted by Abdullah on January 9, 2022 at 6:06 am

    Dissolving salicylic acid in water produces a yellow color that i think it is interacting with iron in water(please correct me if i am wrong. Adding Chelating agents even 0.008% EDTA prevents this color change.

    But in cationic formulas we cant use chelating agents. So my question is how to prevent this color change of salicylic acid in water in a cationic formula? 

    Abdullah replied 2 years, 10 months ago 2 Members · 2 Replies
  • 2 Replies
  • chemicalmatt

    Member
    January 17, 2022 at 7:00 pm

    @Abdullah it may seem obvious but: omit the EDTA and try a little citric acid/sodium citrate buffer. Not as good a chelant as EDTA but at the level you describe a little dab will do you and not a viable interferant with the cationics. A little chelating will not harm a cationic formulation, only a lot will.

  • Abdullah

    Member
    January 18, 2022 at 12:58 am

    @Abdullah it may seem obvious but: omit the EDTA and try a little citric acid/sodium citrate buffer. Not as good a chelant as EDTA but at the level you describe a little dab will do you and not a viable interferant with the cationics. A little chelating will not harm a cationic formulation, only a lot will.

    Thanks. I will try citric acid too.

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