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Homogenizer and stirrer, share your experience!
Hello everyone!
I would like to know please if you can share your experience with me about using a homogenizer and stirrer.
Particularly an idea about the mixing time and speed to prepare, for example, a cream. It would also be helpful to know the common mistakes in your experience.
I have the MiniPro homogenizer, and basic Vevor stirrer, they don’t have RPM information but perhaps your experiences bring me closer to an idea.
I previously used the hand mixer as a beginner, and the texture of the creams now seems less thick. I understand that air loss may be a reason, but it would really help me to hear about your experience.
Thank you!!
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8 Replies
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Hi, you say you want to know “the mixing time and speed to prepare, for example, a cream”. I don’t own the mixing equipment you have, but: you would increase your chances to an answer if you would reffer to a specific formulation of the said cream and the quantity you’d want to make. Different emulsifiers require different times and speeds as do different quantities. Other ingredients present in your product can influence the answer too. Regarding the rpm of your equipment, the answer should be out there, in the World Wide Web😉
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For a home crafting they are perfectly fine! There is a lot of information about the mixing approach, even with those devices. Generally speaking, high shear mixing ( homogenizing) makes more stable and haptically pleasant emulsions, but decrease slightly the viscosity. In contrary, mixing with kitchen equipment creates less stable emulsions with higher viscosity. To obtain a nice and stable emulsion you should homogenize for a minute or two at the beginning, and then switch for a low shear mixing (constantly) untill emulsion cools down completely ( 30 - 35 degrees).
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It is not uncommon to have a different end result (haptically and viscosity speaking), when there is an equipment change. Sometimes to the extent that you slightly tweak the formula….to compensate.
There are a lot of details missing from your scenario…. sometime when you add a machine that actually creates shear (Misceo/Dynamic with the right head) … you can damage some things like polymerics, or various other steric hinderance creations….that lesser stick blenders did not damage. In cases like this… one would simply add them after the emulsification process, and sometime temperature appropriate to the stirring phase.
I typically shear for 2 minutes…. at a temp above 65 C….as this will not harm lamellar emulsions. The balance of the time is spent under the stirrer.
Once I shear for two min….then I stir to cooldown. Commonly I shear again when the last few ingredients are added at cooldown, at the end for 30-45 seconds….to assure perfect incorporation. If I manage to not introduce any air….I pour…. if I ‘ooop’sed’ then I toss it back on the stirrer for a minute or two….and life is good again.
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Hello everyone and thanks for your responses! Sorry for not answering this sooner, I didn’t get any notification in my email or inbox on the page.
@Aniela the last formulation with which I had thickness problems
which even increased emulsifier and co-emulsifier is:
- 14% carrier oils
- 5% olivem 1000
- 4.5% cetearyl alcohol
- 0.2% xanthan gum
- 0.05% hyaluronic acid
- 3% propanediol
- 1% niacinamide
- 1% vit. E
- 1% preservative
- 0.3% essential oils
- sodium citrate and citric acid like buffer
- 68% water
The cream turned out like a lotion.
@ggpetrov thanks for your insight into the machinery I am using, it was thanks to this forum. Is it possible that you could share some links to information beyond those on this website?
@Graillotion thanks you very much for the specifications!! I will try incorporating polymers at the end.
I only have one question, why do you shear again if you previously mentioned that at low shear temperature the lamellar emulsion is damaged? Isn’t it enough to continue with the agitator? I’m worried about the almost imperceptible, but annoying bubbles.
I hope you don’t mind my delay and I can receive some response hahaha
Greetings!😄
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Hello everyone and thanks for your responses! Sorry for not answering this sooner, I didn’t get any notification in my email or inbox on the page.
@Aniela the last formulation with which I had thickness problems
which even increased emulsifier and co-emulsifier is:
I made the mistake of adding 15% more water due to possible evaporation, which I did not measure correctly and perhaps is the cause of the thickness, although previous creams without that 15% had also been more liquid and with bubbles.
- 14% carrier oils
- 4.5% olivem 1000
- 4.5% cetearyl alcohol
- 0.2% xanthan gum
- 0.05% hyaluronic acid
- 3% propanediol
- 1% niacinamide
- 1% vit. E
- 1% preservative
- 0.3% essential oils
- sodium citrate and citric acid like buffer
- 68% water
The cream turned out like a lotion.
@ggpetro thanks for your insight into the machinery I am using, it was thanks to this forum. Is it possible that you could share some links to information beyond those on this website?
@Graillotion thanks you very much for the specifications!! I will try incorporating polymers at the end.
I only have one question, why do you shear again if you previously mentioned that at low shear temperature the lamellar emulsion is damaged? Isn’t it enough to continue with the agitator? I’m worried about the almost imperceptible, but annoying bubbles.
I hope you don’t mind my delay and I can receive some response hahaha
Greetings!
😄
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Hi, given your formula and assuming that your pH is minimum 4.5 (Hallstar guidance), it looks like the issue could be the process. I can only say that heating at 75C, adding the hyaluronic acid in the cool down, and following the advice given in the thread regarding the mixing process, should give you the right result. Also, the emulsion might not look too thick right after making it (so don’t try to achieve thickness by overmixing), but it will reach it’s final consistency in aprox. 48 hours.
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Hello @Aniela , thank you for responding!
I usually work between pH to 4.8 - 5.8, I didn’t remember having read what you say about Olivem so I looked for the sheet again and they recommend between 4.5 to 8. I clarify this so that there are no doubts in a future reader/formulator.
TECHNICAL DATA • INCI: Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate • Ivory flakes.
• Recommended dosage level: 3-5% as the only emulsifier.
• Stability pH: 4.5-8.0
• Compatible with all preservatives. • Polar chain esters and lipids facilitate the formation of liquid crystals.
Let me know if you have any suggestions regarding pH.
Today I will prepare the formula mentioned before with all its recommendations.
Greetings to everybody and thanks!
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Hi, no intention to confuse you. I said a minimum pH of 4.5 and I didn’t state the maximum (8). So no worries about pH🙂 Best of luck with your new experiment.
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