Substitute for Sodium Hydrogen Sulfite

Formulating

Substitute for Sodium Hydrogen Sulfite

Posted by Danger on April 7, 2016 at 5:12 am

Hi everyone,

I always use Sodium Hydrogen Sulfite (SHS) in all my cream and lotions product to prevent browning. But now in Indonesia, SHS is limited to max 0.3%. I usually use it to max 1%.

Based on your experience, what is another choice to prevent browning? Is anyone ever use SHS 2% in formula?

Thanks in advance.

Harry

ashish replied 9 years ago 4 Members · 8 Replies
8 Replies

belassi

Member
April 7, 2016 at 5:28 am

browning? what on earth would cause that? We can’t begin to help unless you post the ingredients list.
Danger

Member
April 7, 2016 at 5:39 am

For example is this skin lightening lotion:

Aqua 80.4

Arbutin 5

Sodium ascorbyl phosphate 5

Niacinamide 1

Sodium hydrogen sulfite (SHS) 0.5

Xanthan gum 0.1

Collagen 0.1

Aloe 0.1

Hyaluronate 0.1

Propylen glycol 2

Glycerine 0.5

Phenoxyethanol 0.5

If I don’t use SHS, in 6 months the lotion become darkened/browning. If I use SHS, it keeps the lotion stable for 2 years.

Please any advice
Danger

Member
April 7, 2016 at 7:28 am

Another formula is Lightening Cream:

Aqua

Propylene glycol 2

Glycerin 1

Triethanolamine 0.5

Xanthan gum 0.5

Phenoxyethanol 0.5

Silicon oil 5

Glyceryl monostearate 2

Cetearyl alcohol 1

Stearic acid 0.5

Sodium ascorbyl phosphate 5

Niacinamide 1

Kojic dipalmitate 1

Retinol complex 0.5

Alpha Lipoic acid 1

Tocopheryl acetate 0.5

Sodium hydrogern sulfite 0.5

Perfume 0.5

In this formula, at room temperature, the cream become brown in 5 months. Then I add SHS to 1% and reduce Kojic dipalmitate to 0.1%. For 1 year the cream is still stable.

What happen’s actually? Is it oxidation?

And now I have to find substitute for SHS. Any suggest?

Thanks in adavance
belassi

Member
April 7, 2016 at 2:50 pm

Oxidation of the vitamin C. However I doubt that what you’re doing is actually preserving the vitamin C, it likely still deteriorates, it’s just that you are using a bleaching agent.
ashish

Member
April 10, 2016 at 11:00 am

Bill_Toge

Professional Chemist / Formulator
April 10, 2016 at 2:52 pm

if you want something of a similar solubility and in a similar price range, try sodium thiosulphate, or ammonium thiocyanate
Danger

Member
April 13, 2016 at 9:06 am

Thank you Belassi, Ashish, and Bill.. I’ll try another antioxidant..

@ ashish: I don’t familiar with TBQ.. what’s that?
ashish

Member
April 15, 2016 at 10:09 am

Its a tertiary butylhydroquinone phenolic antioxidant.