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  • Need help thickening a body wash

    Posted by chem.ist on April 1, 2024 at 3:43 pm

    hi im formulating a body wash for a client and im having trouble keeping a good viscosity with high fragrance load. Any tips for getting this thicker? I can switch out the thickeners if necessary. I would also like to reduce the acrylates copolymer or take it out completely if possible. I noticed that I cant add the polyquat in the beginning of processing because the incompatibility with the acrylate. I can rearrange processing etc. Im looking for it to be a thickness similar to the Isle of Paradise Body Cleanser. Any suggestions are appreciated

    Phase A

    water about 40%

    propanediol 5%

    acrylates copolymer (Carbopol SF2) 12% or 5%

    Sodium cocoamphoacetate 3%

    capryloyl/caproyl methyl glucamide 3%

    CAPB (47% active matter)11%

    I then neutralize this to pH7.5-8


    Phase B1 premix then add

    Fragrance 2%

    CAPB 6%

    Phase B2 premix then add

    polyquat 10 0.5%

    propanediol 5%

    Phase B3

    euxyl pe 9010 1%

    opacifier 1%

    Lower pH to 5.5


    chemicalmatt replied 8 months, 2 weeks ago 4 Members · 4 Replies
  • 4 Replies
  • chickenskin

    Member
    April 1, 2024 at 8:18 pm

    It might be a different acrylates copolymer.

  • ketchito

    Member
    April 2, 2024 at 12:01 am

    If your formula has 10% propanediol, that might contribute not to build viscosity. Remove it completely, or keep it at claim level. Also, 2% of fragrance is too high amd can also have impair viscosity. Usualy 0.5-1.0% is enough. Lastly, the nature of your surfactants doesn’t contribute on building viscosity. You could add some anionic surfactant to take advantage of micellar transitions.

    • chem.ist

      Member
      April 2, 2024 at 8:22 am

      Thanks for you response! unfortunately the client wants 2% fragrance and its not negotiable. I will try to remove the propanediol or add some anionics

  • chemicalmatt

    Member
    April 2, 2024 at 3:16 pm

    @ketchito is (again) on point there with DEL that propylene glycol/ADD anionic surfactant. That alone will boost viscosity and lessen the need for all that acrylic polymer. As for your Polyquat10 addition problem, disperse it into water directly 100%, then add the alkali needed to neutralize the acrylic copolymer to that mixture. Slowly add the acrylic as drop-in thickener and it will neutralize while addition goes on thereby not complexing with polyquat-10. Also, you might consider polyquat-7 or another cationic polymer with lower mass-charge.

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