Home Cosmetic Science Talk Formulating General gelling agents for glycerin??

  • gelling agents for glycerin??

    Posted by marimaster_3991 on September 28, 2022 at 2:24 pm

    Hello, guys! 

    I was told that carbomer could jellify glycerin to create a sort of “glycerin gel” but I’ve never heard about carbomers or other polymers becoming hydrated in other system but water. 

    I read that lecigel (Sodium Acrylates Copolymer (and) Lecithin) could thicken glycerin-based gel.

    Does anyone ever heard of it? or maybe have worked with this kind of formulation? 

    Shadowfitzy replied 3 months, 3 weeks ago 10 Members · 15 Replies
  • 15 Replies
  • pharma

    Member
    September 28, 2022 at 6:46 pm

    Such polymers need at least some water and a suitable base for neutralisation. Pure glycerin would require something different (don’t ask me what exactly).

  • markbroussard

    Member
    September 28, 2022 at 9:35 pm

    @marimaster_3991

    You’ll want to use Methyl Methacrylate or Polymethyl Methacrylate

  • markbroussard

    Member
    September 29, 2022 at 2:21 am

    @marimaster_3991

    There is a product from Sederma … Norgel … it is a Glycerin complexed in a matrix of Methacrylate Polymer … I have used it on a couple of projects in the past.  Easier than trying to form your own complex from scratch.

  • HAL49

    Member
    September 29, 2022 at 5:56 am

    Carbomer will do the trick indeed , I have work with it
  • marimaster_3991

    Member
    September 29, 2022 at 11:17 am

    @MarkBroussard Thank you, I’ll look into them! The though thing is.. I can’t use water, and it can’t have water in the blend. Plus, we need to have at least 90% glycerin in the formula.

    -

    @HAL49 How does that work for you? Any tips? 

  • HAL49

    Member
    October 1, 2022 at 12:36 am

    @marimaster_3991
    do you need to to be completely anhydrous or it can have traces of water ? 

  • marimaster_3991

    Member
    October 3, 2022 at 12:52 pm

    @HAL49 I need it to be anhydrous, that’s why I got so confused, ’cause if i’m using carbomer i’d use some water too.

    But I’m considering the possibility of using traces of water. 

  • HAL49

    Member
    October 5, 2022 at 4:08 am

    Got it , then my recommendation is to use TEA as neutralizer , you will have traces of water as TEA usually contains small portions of it 

    There are waterless neutralizers that could work but they surely will be more expensive and harder to source 

  • evchem2

    Member
    October 5, 2022 at 2:55 pm

    Bar Gel G from Barnet Products (INCI: Polyglyceryl-10 tristearate) works to some extent, but I’m not sure if they still carry that product.

    Kelco-Care from CP Kelco/Lubrizol (INCI: Sphingomonas ferment extract) will also work, though without heat it may take a day or two to see full hydration.

  • natiyo123

    Member
    October 10, 2022 at 10:54 am

    sodium stearate or PVA

  • ozgirl

    Member
    October 26, 2022 at 10:38 pm
    This might be of interest.
    I played around briefly years ago gelling glycerin with carbopols and it definitely thickened the glycerin. I never proceeded with any stability trials so don’t know how stable they were.
    From memory I also tried just dispersing the Carbopol (Ultrez 10?) in most of the glycerin and then combining the remaining glycerin with TEA before adding. This also worked.
    Lubrizol has lots of information available about how to use the carbopols.

  • fareloz

    Member
    January 8, 2023 at 11:46 am

    Hello, guys! 

    I was told that carbomer could jellify glycerin to create a sort of “glycerin gel” but I’ve never heard about carbomers or other polymers becoming hydrated in other system but water. 

    I read that lecigel (Sodium Acrylates Copolymer (and) Lecithin) could thicken glycerin-based gel.

    Does anyone ever heard of it? or maybe have worked with this kind of formulation? 

    There is a video on youtube where they put Lecigel to glucerine and steer. Maybe it will give you some idea of how they interact: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_PWxJdrHmc

    And there is a formula of the product here:
    https://www.lucasmeyercosmetics.com/sites/lucasmeyer-corp-v2/files/formulation/2022-05/Enchanted%20Gel-to-Milk%2016.320.01%20C185.pdf

    They have 1.5% of water in the formula to have final viscosity

  • markbroussard

    Member
    January 8, 2023 at 3:09 pm

    @marimaster_3991

    There is a product from Croda called Norgel that I have used in the past.  It is Glycerin/Water/Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer and is essentially a Glycerin gel.  So, look for Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer as your gelling agent for Glycerin.

  • Rockstargirl

    Member
    January 8, 2023 at 6:28 pm

    I use Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6 and it works perfectly and stays clear. 

    • Shadowfitzy

      Member
      December 5, 2023 at 4:51 am

      Do you mind sharing more on how exactly you used it? 🙂

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