Home Cosmetic Science Talk Formulating Annoying air bubbles

  • OldPerry

    Member
    November 30, 2020 at 10:33 pm

    Are there air bubbles in it when you are mixing the ingredients together? What is your mixer setup?

  • curlmaster211

    Member
    December 1, 2020 at 1:22 am

    I have whipped it with a kitchen aid, bubbles

    I have used an immersion blender, air bubble

    I have used an immersion blender a bit, whisked and flipped, air bubbles

    Before it’s in the jar I dont notice any bubbles its usually really smooth aside from the herb bits

  • OldPerry

    Member
    December 1, 2020 at 1:30 pm

    Ah, that’s your problem. Using immersion blenders & a kitchen aid is not the right type of mixer for systems that are made up of a high level of surfactants. You need slower mixer which does not draw in a large amount of air.

    What is happening is you are whipping so much air into your system that the bubbles are tiny and compact such that you can’t easily see them. If you looked at a sample under a microscope you would likely see air bubbles throughout the sample.

    Over time, in the jar, air bubbles combine (coalesce) which forms larger bubbles to the point where you’re able to see them.

    Solution - don’t use an immersion blender or kitchen aid to mix your ingredients. Use a center stir mixer, keep the mixing paddle below the surface of the liquid and keep the mixing speed slow.

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