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The HLB System - question regarding calculating the quantity of emulsifier
Hi
I’m new to this forum, and new to cosmetic formulation. When researching actives to add to readily available base creams, I became intrigued and curious about formulating the base cream too, so I began looking into it, and I am trying to learn as much as possible. So, I’m a ‘kitchen DIYer’. I have a few recipes, but I wanted to adjust one with a different set of oils, and instead of 8% shea butter, a 4% each combo of shea butter and lanolin. The recipe I got from one of the sites selling raw materials.
When I came across the HLB system, I thought perhaps I should take that into account when adjusting the recipe, as the combo of oils and the addition of lanolin increase the HLB from 8.29 to 9.45. The emulsifier they use is Cetearyl Olivate and Sorbitan Olivate at 3%, which I’ve seen for sale on another site as Olivem 1000. The manufacturer gave Olivem 1000 a HLB of 9. That same site also says Olivem 1000 doesn’t work via the HLB system, but on “liquid crystal formation” (whatever that means). That site also has a suggested usage of 7-8% in lotions and creams and 3-4% in lotions and serums. I don’t really want a runny lotion but more of a cream like consistency, so I am going to have to increase the % from 3 to 7 0r 8 if I stay with Olivem anyway.
My questions are:
1. Regarding the HLB system, I don’t quite get how you arrive at the % of emulsifier to use. When I calculated the required HLB, I used the percentage of total waxes + oils + butters + cetearyl alcohol, for each oil/wax/butter/cetearyl alcohol and multiplied that by the HLB for that item, then added them all up to arrive at the final number. I understand how to adjust high and low HLB emulsifiers to get a number for the combo you use, but I don’t get how that translates into getting the right amount of emulsifier to use to balance the required HLB. If I took the 3gm of Olivem and took that as a % of the total oil/wax/etc phase, and multiplied that by Olivem’s HLB number, I’d get a smaller number given only 3% is used. I’m obviously doing something wrong here! But I can’t figure it out. I’d like to understand the HLB system better regardless of Olivem’s mode of action anyway, so I know what to do for other formulas, or indeed, if it is better I go to a different emulsifier combo for this one.2. If you adjust the amount of emulsifier in a recipe, do you subtract the amount you’ve added there from the oils/waxes/butters/ or the water or something else, to keep it all at 100%?
The recipe I am adjusting has 63.9% h2o; 5% glycerin; acacia and xanthum gum; 15% oils; 8% shea butter; a little beeswax; 3% cetearyl alcohol; 3% emulsifying wax; vitamin e; preservative (glyceryl capyrylate and phenethyl alcohol); essential oils fragrance.
thanks
Rebecca -
6 Replies
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>23% lipids and only 3% emulsifier?
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Here’s some information on HLB.
But the HLB system simply tells you what ingredients to use together. It does not tell you how much of the ingredients to use.To figure that out you have to experiment. It depends on the materials but a 1:4 ratio of emulsifier to oil phase is a reasonable place to start. So if you have 24% oil phase you need about 6% emulsifier.To your second question…the % of the formula should always equal 100% but if you make any adjustments of your ingredients you subtract that amount from the main solvent which in your case is water. -
The HLB system was always (and is still) meant as a guide for experimenting, not a replacement for it. To make a base lotion is going to take some trial and error and trial again, even if you slavishly copy a formula from the internet.
On the plus side, you’ll learn something. If you don’t want to learn something about what and why you’re formulating, just buy the pre-made base - it will be much cheaper and significantly safer for you and anyone you give the lotion to. This is not cooking - screw up, and you could seriously hurt someone. -
Thanks for the replies. That makes sense. I’m happy to experiment, I’m my own guinea pig. I’ve long been interested in how skincare is made. I’ll increase the emulsifier and adjust the other ingredients.
I appreciate the response. Sorry for my late reply!
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When using HLB system I always consider the emulsifiers to be 25% of all oil phase as the start point. Example: if you are using 23% of lipids you should use 5,75% of emulsifiers matching the required HLB.
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@Gustavo when you say 25% of all oil phase, are you saying all ingredients used in the oil phase or just the oils used?
we are using:
olivem 1000
squalene
isoamyl laurate
dermasoft gmcy
tetrahexyldecyl ascorbatewhen calculating this
would the oil percent be just squalend and isoamy laurate? since the others are emulsifiers/wetting agents.
and when calculating the percent of emulsifiers do we do:
olivem 1000 / squalene + isoamyl laurate + olivem 1000 ??
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