Home Cosmetic Science Talk Formulating water based stiff gel- help

  • water based stiff gel- help

    Posted by Chemist5000 on October 4, 2017 at 6:09 pm

    I am trying to make a men’s pomade/stiff gel—not a wax product. It will be in a small flat tin style jar.  I am having difficulty with %’s and keeping the product in a “clear” state.  Most gel formulas tend to have a carbomer so what is causing this to gel?  What am I missing.

    The benchmark ingredient listing is :
    water,ceteareth-25,pvp,sodium cocoamphoacetate,glycerin,propylene glycol,peg-75-lanolin,preservative

    based on raw material availability-
    water-58%
    ceteareth-20-15%
    ceteareth-30-5%
    pvp-15%
    sodium cocoamphoacetate-5%
    glycerin-3%
    propylene glycol-2%
    preservative-1.0%

    Chemist5000 replied 6 years, 5 months ago 3 Members · 6 Replies
  • 6 Replies
  • Chemist5000

    Member
    October 4, 2017 at 11:39 pm

    I made my batch and it was very “stringy”.  I reduced the pvp to 6% and it was still stringy. Could it be the sodium cocoamphoacetate?

  • drbobverdient-biz

    Member
    October 5, 2017 at 3:28 am

    That is my guess.Why do you have it in there?

  • drbobverdient-biz

    Member
    October 5, 2017 at 3:38 am

    Also you don’t need the eo nonionics and why not use carbomer? PVP tends to flake.

  • markbroussard

    Member
    October 5, 2017 at 12:03 pm

    Agreed … this whole concept of using 20% to 30% Ceteareth … I find just mind boggling.

    Just drop in 5% to 6% PVP and1% Carbopol Ultrez 21 … and Bada Bing … Stiff Gel.

    The Sodium Cocoamphoacetate is included to make it easier to wash out the gel … I would instead use Heptyl Glucoside at 2%.  But, is you want to use SC, 5% is way too much … 1% to2% and you’ll be fine.

  • Chemist5000

    Member
    October 5, 2017 at 3:06 pm

    @MarkBroussard   &  @DRBOB@VERDIENT.BIZ   
    thank you so much gentlemen… following the benchmark and I am still learning…  the benchmark didn’t have carbomer so I didn’t use it in my initial experiment.  I will be trying a carbomer experiment today.  

  • Chemist5000

    Member
    October 16, 2017 at 3:00 pm

    The amount of Ceteareth is to help with the gelling.  The carbomer doesn’t if the deserved look.  I keep experiencing separation not sure what to do.

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