Emulsion failed - Chemists Corner

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Emulsion failed

Posted by sscorpio35 on February 24, 2017 at 11:41 am

Hello! I am trying to create a unorthodox pomade for own consumption and I have found a problem that I can not solve. My basic formula is:
Water 50%
Beeswax 20%
Hydrogenated castor oil 5%
Oils 22%
Preservatives and essential oils 3%
I
use a proportion of 18 g of wax per 1 g of borax, the problem is that
after heating the phases and make the emulsion when rubbing in the hands
the pomadeI notice a part of water on one side and the wax with the
oils on the other In the form of droplets that fall to the ground.

To what can this offset in the emulsion be due? regards!

gregwhite replied 7 years, 10 months ago 5 Members · 9 Replies
9 Replies

OldPerry

Member
February 24, 2017 at 2:16 pm

You don’t have a proper emulsifier in your formula.
sscorpio35

Member
February 24, 2017 at 4:37 pm

Hello! In some pomades i have tried appears wax,bórax and lecithin for that reason of my doubt…what emulsifier wold You advise me? I currently hace cetearyl alcohol, polawax nf and lanette wax n. And another doubt that i have..Unthordox pomades are w/o or o/w emulsions?Regards!
chemicalmatt

Member
February 24, 2017 at 5:40 pm

Beeswax/borax is OK (quite “retro, actually) to use, scorpio35, and it will always form a w/o emulsion. You have too much water in this formula, you need to increase your oil ratio, plus as Perry alludes, you need to add a co-emulsifier called an absorption base to keep this together. Reduce the beeswax (and borax) and add a small level of sorbitan sesquioleate or sorbitan oleate, plus some lanolin or microcrystalline wax. If this were made with mineral oil, it would hang together nicely. If you are using all triglyceride oils (e.g. vegetable, botanical), then you may be SOL here and there may be no hope but to resort to mineral colloids.
manny

Member
February 24, 2017 at 5:47 pm

I am having a similar problem.

I would like to use a 15% oil phase.

[HLB in brackets]
Jojoba (Buxus Chinensis) Oil [6.5] , Shea Butter (Butyrospermum Parkii) [8], Castor (Ricinus Communis) Oil [14]

If my emulsifiers are the following HLB:

PEG-40 Hydrogen Castor Oil (HLB-15)
Emulsifying Wax NF {not sure of HLB]
Soy lecithin (HLB-4)

What would be the formula percentages for the emulsifiers to emulsify Jojoba, Castor and Shea Butter totalling (15% in formula)?

Peg-40 max is 10%, can I go 15% in formula?
Emulsifying Wax NF 8% ??
Soy lecithin 1%

I think my math is way off.

Trying to fully understand: https://chemistscorner.com/hlb-the-easiest-way-to-create-an-emulsion/

Many humble thanks to anyone who takes the time to help me on this..

Hopefully this also helps sscorpio35 too..

HLB - The Easiest Way to Create An Emulsion
gregwhite

Member
February 27, 2017 at 6:38 pm

Hi sscorpio, i am now having this exact problem, everything is fine with the consistency, texture etc, but when i break it down it becomes very watery before getting sticky in the hands…have you solved your problem?
sscorpio35

Member
February 28, 2017 at 7:56 am

Hi Greg! To your question … if with a little soy lecithin. I’ve sent you a message. Regards!
OldPerry

Member
February 28, 2017 at 1:01 pm

@manny - to figure out the HLB required you need to also have the relative ratios of the oils. For example, if you had equal amount of each oil the required HLB would be…

(6.5+8+14)/3 = 9.5

To make a stable emulsion then you should pick an emulsifier two units above that and two units below.

Emulsifier1 HLB = 7.5
Emulsifier2 HLB = 11.5

The emulsifiers you’ve listed are not the best for the oil phase you’re trying to make.

So, something like…

PEG-8 Dioleate HLB = 8
PEG-8 Oleate HLB = 11.6
manny

Member
February 28, 2017 at 3:09 pm

Thank you perry.
gregwhite

Member
February 28, 2017 at 5:43 pm

do you have to take the beeswax into account to determine the required HLB of the emulsifier?