• Formulating

  Ethylene Glycol Distearate

  Posted by Paprik on May 23, 2022 at 12:59 am

  Hello guys,

  I am getting a bit helpless with this pearliser Ethylene Glycol Distearate. 
  I can’t make it work. I have tried multiple formulas and I just can’t get a nice pearl effect. 

  I used it at 0.5 ; 1 ; 1.5 ; 2%, is usually turns way too opaque and it “cancels” out the pearl effect. 

  My formula usually contains 
  Water
  Glycerin
  Sodium Coco Sulphate
  Cocamidopropyl Betaine
  Coco Glucoside
  (I used to use Lamesoft PO65, but it was even worse with it)
  Preservative 

  Some say add a bit of salt at the beginning, but not sure if that helped. 

  I heat it a bit above 75°C and let it cool down naturally under low agitation. Still not luck.

  So my question is - Is there any other trick to it? Am I missing something? 

  Chemist77 replied 2 years, 5 months ago 6 Members · 7 Replies

  • ethyleneglycoldistearate
  • pearlizers
  • surfactant
• 7 Replies

• 

  Abdullah

  Member

  May 23, 2022 at 8:11 am

  Use EGMS. 
  EGDS is opaque and EGMS is more pearly.

• 

  OldPerry

  Member

  May 23, 2022 at 9:43 am

  Yes the mono-stearate version is more frequently used for pearl effect

• 

  ketchito

  Member

  May 24, 2022 at 1:18 pm

  @Paprik I agree with @Perry and @Abdullah. Now -and this is just for fun -, can you increase the cooling rate? like with a cold bath? This might change crystallization pattern. Also, try to increase viscosity at the end, so crystals are immobilized and they can reflect light better.

• 

  Paprik

  Member

  May 24, 2022 at 6:52 pm

  Thank you guys. I was really hoping there is something I can do to make EGDS work. I don’t have any other use for it I don’t have a lot of it, but don’t want to just throw it away. 

  @ketchito hmm, ok, will try to cool it down faster.

• 

  RDchemist15

  Member

  May 25, 2022 at 12:10 pm

  Hi @Paprik, my advice was going to be the opposite. If you can use a water bath, do it to cool as slowly as possible, especially in the 35-50C range. Use high agitation not low and if its salt thickened (even better to not worry about the trapping air), give it a little viscosity [500-1000cps]. The added viscosity I’ve found helps the pearl develop and slows cooling.

• 

  Paprik

  Member

  May 25, 2022 at 6:03 pm

  Hey @RDchemist15, thank you! I will try it  

• 

  Chemist77

  Member

  May 28, 2022 at 8:33 am

  I have seen a beautiful peal effect but in SLES/CABP/APG system. I used at 1.5% along with CMEA in same ratio, works out fine every time. pH is around 5.4, ASM is around 15%. 

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