Cold Process Emulsion - Simple and Easy (looking for formula)

Formulating

Cold Process Emulsion - Simple and Easy (looking for formula)

Posted by gfeldman on February 24, 2014 at 9:15 am

I am looking for the most bare bones, inexpensive, cold process emulsion out there. I would like to use it for testing new thickeners, actives, ect. I just want an extremely easy, fast, and cheap formulation base to work with. Emphasis on the speed of formulation.

I’m not 100% certain where to start as all of my experience has been with hot process emulsions. I was thinking Ultrez 10 as a thickener (trying to stay away from the more expensive latex based thickeners), Some form of PEG or Polysorbate-20 as an emulsifier, and Sunflower Oil as, well, the oil phase.

Ingredients would look something like this:
A) Water
EDTA (0.1%)
Ultrez-10 (0.5%)
PEG/Polysorbate-20 (0.5-2%?)
Sunflower Oil (5%)
C) NaOH (Neutralize)
Preservative (1%)

Is that too simplified? Should I use alternative ingredients? Am I missing something?

Thank you for your input and I look forward to your comments!

Chemist77 replied 10 years, 10 months ago 6 Members · 8 Replies
8 Replies

Bobzchemist

Member
February 24, 2014 at 10:13 am

Jeen ICE-T series

Pemulen TR-1 or TR-2

Others exist as well.

Ultrez-10 has little to no emulsification power, so your formula is relying on Tween 20 as a sole emulsifier - probably won’t work at all. Are you familiar with the HLB system?
gfeldman

Member
February 24, 2014 at 10:47 am

I am aware of the HLB system and I understand the calculations. Familiar might be an over exaggeration. Polysorbate-20 is high HLB (16.7). So I would need a low HLB emulsifier to pair with it (also one that is liquid at RT). Do you have any suggestions?
MakingSkincare

Member
February 24, 2014 at 12:13 pm

Pemulen TR-1 or TR-2 which Bob mentioned might be the easiest way forward.
Bobzchemist

Member
February 24, 2014 at 3:08 pm

It may be a better idea to back up and look at what you’re trying to do with this base.

A number of non-traditional emulsifier systems are both cold-process and extremely robust. They are not cheap, however.

Are you absolutely committed to using Polysorbate 20?
gfeldman

Member
February 24, 2014 at 4:31 pm

No. I am absolutely not committed to Polysorbate-20. I also happen to have Pemulen TR-2 on hand. I tried a couple of batches today with it and didn’t have much luck. Not because of the Pemulen, I just think that my formulas were not up to par. I’m trying to make a cold process formula that is rather thick (thick lotion, not hair gel thick) at low pH’s (4). I think I got a bit carried away though because it ended up looking and feeling like snot.

Here is my somewhat simple formula:
A)
Water
0.1%EDTA
5% Glycerin
1.5% Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
0.3% Xanthan Gum
0.3% Guar Gum <- this combined with the xanthan is what i think gave it the terrible feel
0.5% Ultrez 30

5% sunflower oil
0.25% Pemulen TR-2
C)
Neutralize with NaOH

Then add citric acid back?? <-I didnt get this far as I have never worked with Ultrez-30 and I didnt feel like checking the pH as it already looked like snot.

What do you think, any advice?
ChemWizard

Member
February 24, 2014 at 11:08 pm

In my opinion, you might not even need Xanthan or ultrez-30.
Just take water and glycerin, add EDTA.
Slowly sprinkle Pemulen-Tr-2 with mixing. Add surfactant and sunflower oil.
Then neutralize the batch with NaOH until gel formation.
Might need to back titrate with citric acid if you need pH 4.

Hope this helps
DavidW

Member
February 26, 2014 at 8:23 am

I agree with Bob about Jeen International products. You just toss them in and mix. No heat needed.
Chemist77

Member
February 26, 2014 at 10:09 am

Check Seppic too, they are great as well.