Home Cosmetic Science Talk Formulating W/O lip balm

  • W/O lip balm

    Posted by krupabrahmbhatt on January 14, 2014 at 10:55 am
    Hi Fellow Chemists!

    I am planning on making a lip balm with 5-10% water content — because of water soluble actives. Im planning to use sorbitan oleate in the formula to make sure the water phase is incorporated fine.. 

    Do you guys think this is achievable? Last time I tried it, there were a lot of bubbles in the formula and the lip balm stick didnt pour in well. 
    Any advice/thoughts would be highly appreciated! 
    Anonymous replied 10 years ago 6 Members · 8 Replies
  • 8 Replies
  • chemist77

    Member
    January 14, 2014 at 12:59 pm

    No harm in trying, though another good choice I could think of is polyglyceryl 3 diisostearate.

  • oldperry

    Member
    January 14, 2014 at 1:58 pm

    Worth a shot.  But you need to include a preservative with that much water.

  • krupabrahmbhatt

    Member
    January 14, 2014 at 5:32 pm

    @milliachemist Ill give that a shot too.. I have more of a natural/whole foods compliant products background — so I am not too familiar with synthetics and end up using more naturals than would like to. Thanks for the recommendation! :)

    @ perry didn’t think I would need a preservative with just 5% water.. oops! Thanks for the advice, I’ll make sure to add some next time. 
  • bobzchemist

    Member
    January 16, 2014 at 9:37 am

    How do you feel about Lanolin?

  • Avick

    Member
    February 12, 2014 at 10:11 am

    Bobzchemist, are you suggesting using lanolin to solubilize the actives or stabilize the W/O?

  • mikebavington

    Member
    February 14, 2014 at 4:44 pm

    I know you want to stay ‘natural’, but could you add cyclomethicone to your formula to help with the pour-in and the bubbles?

  • bobzchemist

    Member
    February 15, 2014 at 7:09 am

    stabilize the W/O. By itself, lanolin can carry a few percent of water.

  • Anonymous

    Guest
    March 9, 2014 at 12:29 pm

    I have had luck using liquid lecithin (8%) in a lip balm formula to incorporate 3.5% hydrous material. (Including NataPres-a ferment-based preservative-at .5%.) You need to blend the lecithin and water-y material separately, until they completely combine, before you start melting in the anhydrous ingredients.

    After five months, the balm is still intact. This is just for my personal use, however, and I’ve made many other balm formulas since—so I haven’t scrutinized the product very closely. Good Luck

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