-
Trihydroxystearin
I’m playing around with this oil thickener / rheology modifier, Trihydroxystearin.
Testing out the final viscosity right now with the intent to suspend mica while keeping the final formula thin with little playtime on the skin. While researching this ingredient I’m finding conflicting information on how to formulate with it. Here’s the info with links included:
- From Making Cosmetics: Add to heated oil at 55-60oC (130-140F), mix for 10-20 min (!) under high sheer to fully activate. Keep blending (blade stirrer) in the cool down phase, until 40oC (100F). Usage level: 0.2-0.8% and 0.5-2% for pressed powders. For external use only.
- From another website: Mixing must be temperature controlled. Keep it in the range of 35-65C degrees when blending until it becomes thick and viscous. Turn off the heat and blend until it cools down to the desired consistency. Depending on the temperature level that is heated during blending to disperse in the formula , for example, if you want to get a high thickness, warm it up to 65 degrees. But if you don’t want a high thickness, heating at 35-40C degrees is enough to do the job. Trihydroxystearin [Do not use heat above 75C degrees, which will cause Trihydroxystearin Permanent loss of viscosity] Usage level: 0.1% - 10%
I’m testing 0.2%, 0.5% and 0.8% Trihydroxystearin with the rest of the formula being mainly silicones and >10 low viscosity oils.
So now my questions:
1. If anyone has worked with this ingredient before, which is the correct temperature to work with?
2. Do I add the mica in with the oils BEFORE or AFTER the Trihydroxystearin?
3. Because I have ingredients that need to be in the cool down phase, a total of 1.6% will this potentially cause my formula to fail since they’re not being incorporated in the heated phase?
-
4 Replies
-
It’s a bit hard to offer much advice as you don’t specify the type of product you are making. Is it all oils, is it an emulsion.
The way I would handle it would be as below.
1 Leave it out of the oil phase while the oil phase is heated. Melt everything that needs to melt up to (presumably 70C) so don’t go too high, just as high as you need to keep the temperature as low as possible. Once everything is melted add the Trihydroxystearin and let it melt into the oil phase while mixing. Not homogenising, just mixing. Then proceed as normal for an emulsion.
2 Add Mica into oil phase.
3 Depends on what you are adding and whether it is O/W or W/O.
-
My apologies, it’s a body oil. An anhydrous product with the cool down phase still being oil based (fragrance & tocopherol)!
Thank you!
-
-
Updating to give further details on my formula. Not specifying the INCI to leave room so I can play around with the skin feel of the final product but the emollients will all stay in the same mPa.s range.
Loose example:
- 97.2% Silicone / Light Emollients / Low Viscosity Oils
- 1% Mica
- 0.5% Trihydroxystearin
- 1% Fragrance Oil (cool down)
- 0.3% Antioxidant (cool down)
-
I have not played with it in this type of formulation but I think I would still try it using a modified method of heating the silicone up to around 60C and then stop heating and add the Trihydroxystearin and mix while it dissolves and cools.
Log in to reply.