Do emulsifiers count in oil phase composition?

Formulating

Do emulsifiers count in oil phase composition?

Posted by chickenskin on February 10, 2021 at 6:41 pm

When you’re adding up your oil phase to make sure you’re using the proper emulsifier level. Do you add up your emulsifier level as well?

Example:

castor oil - 5%

soy bean oil - 10%

stearyl alcohol - 2.5%

GMS - 2%

oil phase = 15% or 19,5%

Thank you

AndrewSeel replied 3 years ago 8 Members · 14 Replies
14 Replies

Paprik

Member
February 11, 2021 at 12:27 am

I was actually thinking about this question myself. Not long time ago. (Before I started my diploma study with IPSC)

However, from a logical side, it should not be counted.
This is how I would explain it. You would basically need an emulsifier to emulsify the emulsifier. If that makes sense?
Emulsifier has water loving and oil loving portion. The water loving sticks with water and the oil portion “catches” all the oil.

To answer your question - Oil phase would be 19.5%, because you would have it in your oil phase/phase B or whatever, but the amount of oil to emulsify would be 15%.
Hope it helped
MarkBroussard

Member
February 11, 2021 at 1:20 am

Ask yourself a simple question: Is the emulsifier an oil? No, it’s the agent used to emulsify the oils. I gather you’re asking this in the context of using the HLB system.
ngarayeva001

Member
February 11, 2021 at 7:30 am

there is no emulsifier here.
mhart123

Member
February 11, 2021 at 4:16 pm

@ngarayeva001 GMS (glyceryl monostearate) is an emulsifier
ggpetrov

Member
February 11, 2021 at 6:18 pm

mhart123 said:

@ngarayeva001 GMS (glyceryl monostearate) is an emulsifier

No, it’s not!
mhart123

Member
February 11, 2021 at 6:28 pm

What would you consider it?

You even classified it as an emulsifier

https://chemistscorner.com/cosmeticsciencetalk/#/discussion/6506/glyceryl-stearate-se-silicones-phenoxyethanol
Paprik

Member
February 11, 2021 at 6:53 pm

ggpetrov said:

mhart123 said:

@ngarayeva001 GMS (glyceryl monostearate) is an emulsifier

No, it’s not!

Hi,
GMS has emulsifying properties. Its HLB is low, so it’s great for W/O emulsion.
Paprik

Member
February 11, 2021 at 6:54 pm

mhart123 said:

What would you consider it?

You even classified it as an emulsifier

https://chemistscorner.com/cosmeticsciencetalk/#/discussion/6506/glyceryl-stearate-se-silicones-phenoxyethanol

Just a note, there is a difference between GMS and GMS SE.
mhart123

Member
February 11, 2021 at 7:11 pm

@Paprik correct I guess I was just focused on the glyceryl stearate part, not self emulsifying. but nonetheless I would still consider gms and gms se emulsifiers
ngarayeva001

Member
February 11, 2021 at 10:56 pm

GMS alone isn’t an emulsifier but a thickener. It becomes co-emulsifier when mixed with emulsifiers (PEG-100 stearate or Ceteareth-20)
MarkBroussard

Member
February 11, 2021 at 11:16 pm

GMS SE (Self Emulsifying) contains GMS + Potassium Stearate at about 5%. The SE comes from the Potassium Stearate component.
Pattsi

Member
February 12, 2021 at 6:43 am

Emulsifier isn’t counted as oil.
It’s counted in total oil phase if your emulsifier’s added in oil phase.
But if your emulsifier’s added in water phase then it’s counted in water phase.
chickenskin

Member
February 16, 2021 at 3:18 am

thanks team oil phase! just needed some realignment.
AndrewSeel

Member
March 27, 2021 at 11:43 am

@MarkBroussard I made a W/O zinc oxide cream with Low HLB emulsifiers like sorbitan Stearate and oleate plus GMS but has a low consistency so I added 0.5% of High HLB emulsifier and result in good homogenous cream besides Cetyl Alcohol as stabilizers. is it right to include Polysorbate 60 in small percentage???