Home Cosmetic Science Talk Formulating General Emollients

  • Emollients

    Posted by Parisland on May 1, 2024 at 12:18 am

    Hello, I am looking to gain a knowledge on emollients (natural, synthetic) in order to make a better decisions when combining them. I can see from the forum that some of you don’t recommend butters with high stearic or oleic acid. Can you please recommend any books, sites etc. on this topic. Thanks

    Graillotion replied 2 weeks, 6 days ago 2 Members · 3 Replies
  • 3 Replies
  • Graillotion

    Member
    May 1, 2024 at 4:03 am

    You could not have picked a word….that has a broader meaning in cosmetics. 😉

    They are so diverse….and really you have to pick them based on what you are trying to accomplish….or as Perry might suggest…which is lowest cost. 😀

    Some are occlusive…some are not. Some leave a shine, some do not. Some are volatile, most are not. Some feel a little oily, and others are dry as a popcorn fart. You could list these comparisons…on and on.

    Probably I would use UL Prospector, and find a big ester seller…and they will often provide wide ranging charts with spreadability ratings. This for me…is a logical place to start. Albeit…. I did it the old fashioned way…and bought or got samples….of hundreds of them. 😅

    Another concept to grasp is one called ‘cascading emollience’. I like to say….you can create something that is greater than the sum of the parts…if you implement this concept. If you work it just right….things can feel like they are absorbing much faster than they actually are, because they are all absorbing at different rates.

    So, your natural oils/butters…are at the far end of the spectrum, and you build to them with the lighter and mid range ingredients….to create that cascade.

    If you go into the knowledge center of ULP….and enter in the search bar…variations of ’emollients’, you will get a number of hits. I’ll enclose one, to get you started. Good Luck.

    NOTE: The emollient game…is almost entirely subjective….

    The Art of Sensoriality: Ingredients that Transform Everyday Routines (ulprospector.com)

  • Graillotion

    Member
    May 1, 2024 at 4:06 am

    A lot of time….emollients serve multiple roles. As an example, many emollients are also solvents, so they are selected based on the balance of the formula, and what needs to be accomplished. The also vary widely in polarity…and this can also influence your selection….

    It took me a long time to become friends with C-12-15 AB….but finally it has secured a spot in my top 5. 😉

    Multitasking Emollients - Prospector Knowledge Center (ulprospector.com)

    • This reply was modified 2 weeks, 6 days ago by  Graillotion.
    • This reply was modified 2 weeks, 6 days ago by  Graillotion.
  • Graillotion

    Member
    May 1, 2024 at 4:16 am

    Polar vs. Nonpolar Oils | Cosmetics & Toiletries (cosmeticsandtoiletries.com)

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