Home Cosmetic Science Talk Formulating How to get plant oils to emulsify in spray formula?

  • How to get plant oils to emulsify in spray formula?

    Posted by BekaS on September 26, 2019 at 5:11 pm

    I’m using apricot kernel oil and macadamia oil. I tried using polysorbate 20 but it didn’t work. what could I use in a spray formula to keep the oil and water from separating?

    marinaartm replied 4 years, 7 months ago 6 Members · 9 Replies
  • 9 Replies
  • ngarayeva001

    Member
    September 26, 2019 at 6:02 pm

    Solubilisers are designed to incorporate only very small amount of oil into water. How much oil do you use?

  • BekaS

    Member
    September 26, 2019 at 6:38 pm

    1.5% I’ve used other solubilizers and the plant oils don’t seem to emulsify like the essential oils

  • ngarayeva001

    Member
    September 26, 2019 at 10:41 pm

    Try PEG-40 HCO. It works in a concentration 4:1 with many oils, so you probably need 6% if you need clear solution.

  • BekaS

    Member
    September 27, 2019 at 6:53 pm

    would that emulsifier work for spray formulas?

  • MarkBroussard

    Member
    September 27, 2019 at 11:15 pm

    @BekaS:

    Research “microemulsions” … there are a handful of emulsifiers developed specifically for this purpose.  For instance, you could try a combination of Coco-Glucoside and Glyceryl Oleate + Sucrose Stearate or as @ngarayeva001 pointed out Ppg-26-Buteth-26 (and) Peg-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil … BASF, Evonik & Croda all off emulsifiers specifically for development of microemulsion sprays and lotions

  • Jini

    Member
    September 28, 2019 at 1:14 am

    Behentrimonium Methosulfate and Cetearyl Alcohol at 2% is a good alternative if you are willing to add water and a preservative. 

  • Gunther

    Member
    September 29, 2019 at 12:02 am

    Jini said:

    Behentrimonium Methosulfate and Cetearyl Alcohol at 2% is a good alternative if you are willing to add water and a preservative. 

    That would provide some conditioning too, if it’s meant for a hairspray.

  • BekaS

    Member
    September 30, 2019 at 3:19 pm

    I’ve tried adding cetearyl alcohol to a spray formula before and it just made it cloudy and floated to the top and got hard

  • marinaartm

    Member
    October 11, 2019 at 8:44 pm

    @MarkBroussard I got to this suggestion of yours ( Coco-Glucoside and Glyceryl Oleate + Sucrose Stearate ) searching for an alternative for a leave in solution/serum for hair. Would it work also with grapeseed oil, jojoba oil, almond oil and a few extracts? What is the % you recommend for around 8% oil?
    Thank you so much!

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