Home Cosmetic Science Talk Formulating Dual phase questions

  • Bill_Toge

    Professional Chemist / Formulator
    August 16, 2015 at 9:14 pm

    since the ES-5227 Formulation Aid is described as being “grey white to milky white” on the SDS, and all the others are “clear to slightly hazy”, I’m guessing it’s that

    the polysorbate 20 is there to form a transient emulsion which lasts long enough for the product to be usable in its mixed form, but which also breaks down over time

    sodium chloride increases the surface tension of the water phase, and ensures the two phases separate cleanly, so that any partitioning/leaching from one phase into the other is kept to a minimum

    surface tension is also the reason why it’s used in W/O emulsions, though in that case it’s to stop the water droplets from coalescing rather than to promote separation

    (I found out a lot of this stuff because the last place I worked was the UK-based contract manufacturer for a very well known brand of two-phase mouthwash)

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