Home Cosmetic Science Talk Formulating Which ingredient is making this so sticky?

  • Which ingredient is making this so sticky?

    Posted by Margaret2 on January 27, 2015 at 12:00 am

    Formulators!

      Does anyone know which ingredient(s) is causing this to be so sticky?
    Thanks for any thoughts you might share. 
    sodium lactate (liquid)    3%
    DL panthenol (powder)   3%
    sodium hyaluronate 0.2% 
    Laureth 23    3%  (POE  (23) lauryl alcohol)
    glycerin   1%
    ferulic acid   0.5%
    mixed tocopherols (95%)    1%
    propylene glycol   30%
    L ascorbic acid   20%
    Germall plus liquid  0.5%
    OldPerry replied 9 years, 1 month ago 8 Members · 9 Replies
  • 9 Replies
  • ozgirl

    Member
    January 27, 2015 at 12:47 am

    Possibly the panthenol.

  • MarkBroussard

    Member
    January 27, 2015 at 1:48 am

    It’s the panthenol, the tocopherols and the glycerin … All are sticky.  You can cut the panthenol down to 1% and the tocopherols of 0.5%.  Also, you can eliminate the glycerin if you want to .  That will cut down on the stickiness quite a bit.

  • Margaret2

    Member
    March 21, 2015 at 2:48 am

    I re-made  a hand cream recipe that also had 3% panthenol in it in the past, but I used only 1% panthenol It is MUCH less sticky.

     I had no idea panthenol in a powder form would make it sticky.  Ain’t chemistry grand?

     Thanks for the help! 
  • pma

    Member
    March 23, 2015 at 11:38 am

    Sodium hyaluronate is very sticky as well. Even at 0.2%.

  • OldPerry

    Member
    March 23, 2015 at 4:20 pm

    In truth, you could probably use even less Panthenol.

  • MichelleReece

    Member
    March 23, 2015 at 11:52 pm

    Propylene glycol is actually a humectant, so you don’t need to use so much glycerin and panthenol, unless you’re using the former for more than just its humectant properties.

  • DavidW

    Member
    March 24, 2015 at 1:43 am

    Laureth 23 can make a formula sticky, especially at 3%.  Are you trying to make a skinceuticals knock off?

  • Bobzchemist

    Member
    March 24, 2015 at 1:46 pm

    This is one of those occasions where a knockout experimental series really shines. In this case, for example, you have several ingredients that are probably making your formula sticky. Run the experiments and evaluate each for skin feel.

  • OldPerry

    Member
    March 24, 2015 at 11:36 pm

    Indeed Bob.  Here’s the link explaining how you do a knockout experiment.

Log in to reply.