• Formulating

  Thickening a high glycol/solvent formula with acids in it

  Posted by consult on January 16, 2025 at 1:35 pm

  I am having a particularly hard time thickening a formula that has azelaic acid in it. The formula is very high glycol (45%).

  The rest of the formula is water, some essential oils, and a generous amount of polysorbate 20 to keep everything together.

  I’m not looking to change the formula. Rather, I’m looking specifically how to thicken this challenging mixture.

  I’ve tried just about everything to thicken it:

  - HEC

  - Xanthan

  - Aristoflex AVC

  - HP Starch

  - Every kind of Simulgel (including EG)

  - Acrylates Crosspolymers

  I’ve had zero success with any of them.

  The one thing that worked somewhat was:

  - Carbopol Aqua SF-2

  But it made the formula really sticky, so that’s no good.

  Is it hopeless? Is there anything I could use to thicken this that wouldn’t make it sticky/shiny?

  consult replied 1 month ago 2 Members · 4 Replies
• 4 Replies

• 

  consult

  Member

  January 16, 2025 at 5:17 pm

  I forgot to mention. I can heat the azelaic/glycol phase to 50 degrees, but the rest I need to keep under 35, so I can’t do a traditional hot emulsification.

  • 

    fareloz

    Member

    January 17, 2025 at 2:49 am

    Sepimax Zen? According to their marketing materials it should tolerant to acids and high glycol content

• 

  consult

  Member

  January 17, 2025 at 2:42 pm

  I tried the SepiMax Zen. I forgot to write that down. It also didn’t work. I also tried Sepinov EMT 10. I feel out of options! I’m wondering if I need to think outside the box maybe.

• 

  consult

  Member

  January 17, 2025 at 7:57 pm

  Update. I got Hydroxypropyl Methycellulose to thicken it as long as I added a lot (1.5%). But…it’s sticky 🙁

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