Waxes for thick cream - Chemists Corner

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Waxes for thick cream

Posted by Gustavo on March 20, 2014 at 1:00 pm

Hey guys! Do any of you have experience with waxes? I have some waxes to test (Beeswax, Candelilla Wax, Carnauba Wax, and ozokerite) but I don’t know where to start from.

I’ve only tested beeswax in the past. All I remember is that a small amount already thickens more than I expected. LOL

Any tips?

Gustavo replied 8 years, 8 months ago 9 Members · 17 Replies
17 Replies

chemicalmatt

Member
March 20, 2014 at 4:30 pm

Gustavo, ozokerite is part of the petrochemical (mostly) linear alkyl homolog family of petrolatum/microcrystalline wax/ozokerite/paraffin. It is very useful in thickening and stabilizing mineral oil, petrolatum based emulsions, even the water-in-oil ones, and can harden those cyclomethicone-stearyl alcohol antiperspirant sticks like nothing else ( I’m talking 0.10%!). The others are natural waxes, more polar, complex and vary softeness and pliability in lipsticks, lipbalms, color make-up pencils. I never tried burning some to see what happens. Could be a renewable fuel! Perhaps another forum member more versed in color cosmetics can help here.
DavidW

Member
March 21, 2014 at 8:41 am

Gustavo, it really depends on what you want to do. Have a look at this website. I buy some waxes from them and they have a decent amount of info on their website.
DavidW

Member
March 21, 2014 at 8:41 am

http://www.spwax.com/
DavidW

Member
March 21, 2014 at 8:43 am

If you want to thicken a cream why not just use cetyl alcohol or something similar?
Bobzchemist

Member
March 21, 2014 at 11:47 am

Also look at this website:

http://kosterkeunen.com/

Creams thickened with waxes don’t feel good on skin, at least not compared with creams thickened by thickeners. Why do you want to do this?
Gustavo

Member
May 28, 2014 at 1:07 pm

thank you all. Your replies were really helpful!
Gustavo

Member
May 28, 2014 at 1:09 pm

The thing here was not just to thicken a usual cream. It was a way to thicken a high oil hair care cream without cetearyl alcohol.
Chemist77

Member
May 28, 2014 at 1:27 pm

@Gustavo Thickening aside, I am really counting big on Brazil this time to bring the trophy home
nasrins

Member
May 30, 2014 at 4:14 am

@bob what are thickeners in creams and body lotions? u mean carbomer, xantan gum,…
Ruben

Member
May 31, 2014 at 11:55 am

@milliachemist Maybe the trophy will go to Argentina this time
Chemist77

Member
May 31, 2014 at 12:15 pm

@Ruben I agree with u, but a little correction it would be a runners up trophy for Argentina
pf_holden

Member
May 31, 2014 at 6:34 pm

treated silica?
Gustavo

Member
August 28, 2014 at 1:40 pm

@Ruben and @milliachemist you both were wrong. German deserved the trophy this time.

@pf_holden do you have any suggestion of silica for me to start with? There are many option from many suppliers.
Bobzchemist

Member
August 31, 2014 at 8:10 pm

Degussa fumed silica - Aerosil 200 or 300
Gustavo

Member
September 8, 2014 at 8:58 am

Thanks @Bobzchemist
Chemist79

Member
October 19, 2014 at 5:49 pm

Hi Gustavo, did you have any luck with this project? I would be interested in your findings, thanks.
Gustavo

Member
August 24, 2015 at 6:45 pm

Just updating. I didn’t test silica, but the results with beeswax and rice wax were great! A very small amount thickened the entire product it is more a matter of adjusting the exact amount but the best tests were still the ones with some cetearyl alcohol.