What % is suggested for Oil based solutions?

Formulating

What % is suggested for Oil based solutions?

Posted by prow18 on October 8, 2021 at 3:34 pm

I’m looking to add Rosemary Oleoresin and Tocopherol to a balm and oil solution to help prevent rancidity.

Currently using:

Rosemary Oleoresin: 0.4%
Tocopherol: 0.2%

Is that too much/to little? Suggested usage %?

Thanks!

Graillotion replied 3 years, 4 months ago 4 Members · 8 Replies
8 Replies

prow18

Member
October 12, 2021 at 9:57 pm

Any takers?
OldPerry

Professional Chemist / Formulator
October 12, 2021 at 10:33 pm

Seems like a reasonable amount to start. Did you try it? What did you find?
prow18

Member
October 13, 2021 at 10:59 am

Seems to work okay, but wasn’t sure if it was too much. I wanted to make sure I’m not needlessly using material.
OldPerry

Professional Chemist / Formulator
October 13, 2021 at 1:01 pm

The way formulating works is that you take your best guess at an ingredient level. Once you get something that works, then you try making a batch with half as much. If that still works fine then you’ve optimized. If that doesn’t work quite as well, then you cut too much.

It’s an iterative process.
suswang8

Member
October 14, 2021 at 2:38 am

Way too much rosemary. I thought 0.1% is the recommendation?
Graillotion

Member
October 14, 2021 at 2:53 am

suswang8 said:

Way too much rosemary. I thought 0.1% is the recommendation?

ROE is just fine. Rates range from .02-.5%. Just depends on what type of oils you are working with. Carnosic acid levels will vary from supplier to supplier as well, 4-7.5% is common. It is mostly a sunflower or olive carrier oil anyway.
prow18

Member
October 16, 2021 at 1:56 am

Thanks everyone, was just looking to see if there are standard levels that are suggested. It currently ages well, but if I could be using significantly less and save that was what I was looking into.

It’s difficult to test then wait a year+ to see how the balm oxidizes.
Graillotion

Member
October 16, 2021 at 3:22 am

If using fragile oils like Rosehip and the likes…work on the upper end of the range.

If using oils like meadowfoam and CCT….you can work on the lower end of the range.

Aloha!