Body wash suspension - Chemists Corner

Formulating

Body wash suspension

Posted by melissa1505 on October 22, 2025 at 5:36 pm
Good morning everyone!
I’m developing a body wash with ground coffee as an exfoliant and need to suspend it. I’ve achieved suspension with 5% Rheocare TTA or Carbopol AQUA SF2, but this represents a cost per ton of $580, which is out of budget. I’ve tried using Vivastar CS 2081 0.3% (Xanthan gum, Ceratonia siliqua gum, Glucose) to suspend it, but I can’t achieve a completely smooth, lump-free consistency. Please recommend a suspending material that isn’t as expensive as the polyacrylates I mentioned. Thank you very much. The suspension effect I need is like the one in the image.
- This discussion was modified 3 weeks, 2 days ago by melissa1505.
- This discussion was modified 3 weeks, 2 days ago by melissa1505.
ozgirl replied 2 weeks, 1 day ago 6 Members · 12 Replies
12 Replies

ketchito

Member
October 23, 2025 at 7:25 am

Hi. Why don’t you use a very cheap carbomer (like Carbopol 980 or equivalent)? Those polyacrylates are highly crosslinked which results in very good suspension.
- nicole1505
  
  Member
  October 23, 2025 at 8:11 am
  
  Hello! I’ve tried carbopol 980, but as soon as I add SLES, the mixture becomes opaque, even when I neutralize it to 7 with TEA. What’s the method to keep it clear? Please help.
  - nicole1505
    
    Member
    October 23, 2025 at 8:16 am
ketchito

Member
October 27, 2025 at 7:42 am

Carbomers in aqueous solution (before neutralization) are non ionic (there’s very low ionization due to the resulting low pH). One that, SLES reacts with it through hydrophobic interactions, and that’s what you’re seing. I believe that if you continue with your process, the resulting product will be clear (do you have more surfactants or polymers in your system?). Alternatively to prevent that, you could add a little amount of an amphoteric surfactant after your carbopol (like CAPB).
- melissa1505
  
  Member
  October 27, 2025 at 9:06 am
  Hello, thank you for your reply,
  
  Here is my formula:
  
  INGREDIENT %
  
  WATER CS 100
  
  TETRASODIUM EDTA 0.10
  
  GLYCERIN 1.00
  
  CARBOPOL 980 0.40
  
  SODIUM LAURETH SULFATE 70% 14.00
  
  REGPH TRIETHANOLAMINE 99% 0.40
  
  LAMESOFT PO65 0.30
  
  CAPB 4.00
  
  COCONUT DIETHANOLAMINE 1.20
  
  CRILLET 1 1.00
  
  CHLORHEXIDINE DIGLUC-20% 0.75
  
  ACT LIMONENE 0.60
  
  EUXYL K120 0.10
  
  MAGNESSIUM SULFATE 7.H2O 1.00
  
  CITRIC ACID 0.01
  
  GROUND COFFEE 0.08
  
  What do you recommend for obtaining a clear fluid with suspending power?
  
  What order of addition can you suggest?
  
  Thank you so much.
  - This reply was modified 2 weeks, 4 days ago by melissa1505.
  - ozgirl
    
    Member
    October 27, 2025 at 6:18 pm
    
    Hi. Not sure why you are adding chlorhexidine digluconate (CHG) to your body wash but this material is cationic and interaction with anionic surfactants like SLES will reduce/eliminate its activity. You will need a nonionic/cationic environment for working with CHG.
    
    Hope this helps🙂
Fekher

Member
October 30, 2025 at 2:16 am

Classic carbomer is not electrolyte resistant so adding SLES should decrease viscosity.
- melissa1505
  
  Member
  October 30, 2025 at 8:48 am
  
  Hi ozgirl, I’m using chlorhexidine because I need an antibacterial soap claim. What do you recommend?
  - ozgirl
    
    Member
    October 30, 2025 at 6:08 pm
    
    I don’t make antibacterial products but I have seen several products on the market (in Australia) that have antibacterial claims using lactic acid. It might be worth investigating this.
    
    You will need to check your local regulations as antibacterial claims can be considered to be drugs in some countries.
PhilGeis

Member
October 30, 2025 at 5:28 am
Agree with ozgjrl’s comment and suggest you add Na benzoate to the isothiazolinone.
- This reply was modified 2 weeks, 1 day ago by PhilGeis.
- melissa1505
  
  Member
  October 30, 2025 at 8:43 am
  
  Hi philgeis, I’m using chlorhexidine because I need an antibacterial soap claim. Will adding sodium benzoate give me that claim?
  - PhilGeis
    
    Member
    October 30, 2025 at 12:15 pm
    
    Na benzoate will only help with preservation.
    
    Not sure it would work but, if you’re marketing in US, you most certainly can NOT use chlorhexidine (CHG) unless you have an approved NDA (new drug application). Assuming not, the antimicrobial claim is only accessible to you via the monograph*, and CHG is NOT approved in the monograph. FDA has been trying to kill the monograph for decades because these products are fairly useless in a consumer context.
    
    *https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2015/05/01/2015-10174/safety-and-effectiveness-of-health-care-antiseptics-topical-antimicrobial-drug-products-for
    
    federalregister.gov
    Safety and Effectiveness of Health Care Antiseptics; Topical Antimicrobial Drug Products for Over-the-Counter Human Use; Proposed Amendment of the Tentative Final Monograph; Reopening of Administrative Record
    The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is issuing this proposed rule to amend the 1994 tentative final monograph or proposed rule (the 1994 TFM) for over-the-counter (OTC) antiseptic drug products. In this proposed rule, we are proposing to establish conditions … Continue reading