Home Cosmetic Science Talk Formulating Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate and PEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate pairing.

  • Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate and PEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate pairing.

    Posted by Graillotion on June 20, 2025 at 12:15 am

    When I look at Lubrizol’s propaganda, they recommend pairing them together. Obviously, any good marketer recommends that you pair things that are sold within the same company.

    I have the PEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate (HLB 15) on hand, but not the low HLB piece. Question is… is the Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate (HLB 6.6) anything magical that GMS could not do just as well, something that I do have on hand.

    I have an emulsion I am not completely happy with….and while digging around the lab the other day…. came across a sample of the product in a clear container that was formulated with the PEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, from a couple of years ago. It looked fantastic. Since I have never had the Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate… I have to assume I used GMS on that version from a couple of years ago. (I think at the time….I did not pursue that emulsifier, since I did not have a small MOQ source….which now I do…Thai place.)

    As well….I turned UL Prospector upside down looking for a consistent or even suggested ratio. Literally there was NO consistency in the Lubrizol sample formulas…. all sample formulas looked as random as mommy bloggers gone wild. From 1 to 1 rations to 2 to 1 ratios. Logic would suggest that I use one-part high HLB to 2 parts low HLB….but could not find this trend in Lubrizol’s sample formulas.

    For maximum robustness….any suggested ratios would be appreciated.

    @ketchito @chemicalmatt

    Aloha.

    • This discussion was modified 3 weeks ago by  Graillotion.
    Graillotion replied 2 weeks, 4 days ago 3 Members · 5 Replies
  • 5 Replies
  • ketchito

    Member
    June 20, 2025 at 8:36 am

    The fact they are paired together has to do with packing. That’s why PEG-100 stearate goes with Glyceryl stearate, or Ceteareth-20 goes with Cetearyl alcohol. They are like perfect marriages (as if Henry Cavil marries Amy Adams). You could use a different structuring agent, but it’s like being with a husband/wife which is not your perfect match. You could try with a 4:1 ratio structuring agent/emulsifier, and screen it up to 2:1. If you want to be more precise, you could calculate the crystal parameters of each molecule, but I believe a 3:1 would be a safe bet.

    • Graillotion

      Member
      June 20, 2025 at 1:43 pm

      Thank you.

      Question…. Lubrizol’s Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate has an HLB of 6.6. Evonik makes a version that has an HLB of around 12.

      Does the Evonik and Lubrizol version match up (make a good pairing)…as they do not have the HLB spread that the two Lubrizols would have. I suspect no….but maybe I am not seeing the big picture?

      Aloha

      (It happens that I found that I have a sample of the Evonik version, Tego Care PS … after an additional search.)

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

        Entrepreneur
        June 22, 2025 at 3:38 am

        Those HLB doesn’t matter. It can have different HLB from same company but different batches.

      • ketchito

        Member
        June 22, 2025 at 4:35 pm

        That’s interesting. Lubrizol’s MGS is primary a W/O emulsifier, while Evonik’s is a O/W emulsifier (that’s why the antagonistic HLB values). My bet is that they are both different emulsifiers (while Lubrizol’s has only one glucose unit, Evonik’s might have few of them. increasing the polarity of its head group, its solubility and hence its HLB). Then, you could pair them (a 4:1 ratio as a starting point still holds). Lets’s see how it goes.

        • Graillotion

          Member
          June 22, 2025 at 5:40 pm

          Thank you. I will have to debate that. Not the concept….but the fact that I can never purchase the Evonik MOQ’s… but I can buy the Lubrizol pairing small MOQ at the Thai place.

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