Home Cosmetic Science Talk Formulating Hair PLEASE HELP - Gritty Conditioner

  • PLEASE HELP - Gritty Conditioner

    Posted by charlie_melb on August 13, 2021 at 1:48 am

    Please can someone offer some advice. When I make this formula in smaller batches it is perfect and creamy, but when I make bigger batches it become gritty upon cooling?

    Base formula:

    Water 89.00%
    Cetrimonium Chloride 3.00%
    Behentrimonium Chloride 1.00%
    Cetearyl Alcohol 2.00%
    Cetyl Alcohol 1.00%
    I have tried making the formula just with the individual surfactants but the same issue happens. I am wondering if I need better equipment to keep stirring whilst it cools as this can take a long time.

    I feel like I have so many questions about scaling up. Can someone advise me what equipment they use for commercial production and a method for manufacture as I feel that I am doing it wrong :-(

     Ps I am a qualified chemist although my experience is not in conditioners and I am finding it more challenging than I expected. Any advice is very welcome.

    ariepfadli replied 2 years, 5 months ago 6 Members · 6 Replies
  • 6 Replies
  • ozgirl

    Member
    August 13, 2021 at 2:20 am

    What temperature are you heating to? It sounds like something isn’t melting properly at the larger scale.

  • abdullah

    Member
    August 13, 2021 at 7:08 am

    In addition to what @ozgirl asked, 
    What mixer do you use? 
    What are the size of your samll and large batch? 
    What is the method? Phase A, B, C then mix or everything in one phase?
    For how long do you mix small and large batch? 

  • charlie_melb

    Member
    August 28, 2021 at 7:00 am

    Hi, sorry for the late reply. I thought I would get alerts and perhaps noone responded. I think it is right that something is not fully melted. I think it is melted but then as the batch cools one of the ingredients is setting again. I am heating to 75c. Is that enough? I am also using a stick blender following the phases recommendation. Mixing time does not seem to affect three outcome

  • Syl

    Member
    August 28, 2021 at 4:02 pm

    According to MakingCosmetics, Behentrimonium Chloride needs 85c to melt.

    https://www.makingcosmetics.com/Behentrimonium_p_81.html

    I am not sure it is causing your problem because I never used cetrimonium chloride. I always use Behentrimonium C in combination with another emulsifier.

  • ngarayeva001

    Member
    August 29, 2021 at 4:36 am

    There’s no way behentrimonium chloride fully melts at 75c. It needs 85C according to suppliers and around 95c as per my personal experience.

  • ariepfadli

    Member
    October 3, 2021 at 6:48 pm

    Melt first and give some citric acid, make sure finish product slightly acidic to avoid gritty behentrimonium, you also need to avoid anionic which coagulate behentrimonium chloride

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