[Aniela]

Hi Jonathan,

This is what I know, and what I would consider:

1. The temperature range where your product starts melting- if your product is meant to be used in the Russian winter, it needs another melting point and texture than when it is going to be used in the African summer;

2. The texture of the product:

a. To check for graininess (even if it’s not apparent), keep the product at room temp. for 2-3 weeks, and then assess its texture; it should be smooth and homogenous, and if any graininess, reassess your method;

b. What happens to the texture in case the balm undergoes temperature changes (much higher or much lower than room temp) during transport and application? The product should always come to the initial texture when back to room temperature.

3. The container’s integrity: what happens to the balm in case it melts in the container? Does the container leak or does it remain sealed? How does the container react to changes in humidity?

To answer to 2b and 3, a simple method is to run three cycles as follows: 24h at 45C, 24h at room temp, and 24h in the fridge.

Check the texture and appearance of the product after each cycle, as some issues can reveal themselves earlier in the process. Also check if the product leaks from the container if upside-down/on the side when it’s melted.

I hope this helps.

[Aniela]

Apart from your title “4 ingredient conditioner bad” not reflecting the reality, there are a few more things to be said:

This is a group where professionals offer their time and advice for FREE- personally, I’m very grateful for having access to their expertise.

You didn’t experiment with your four ingredients, you just treated this Forum like a “mommy’s blog”, and launched a “click-bait”- not fair for anyone here, as we don’t do that.

You can ask specific questions, but for now you’re basically asking for a free formula- again, that’s ok in other groups, not here.

I hope this helps, as this is a very good place to gain knowledge and become a better formulator.

Have fun experimenting????

[Aniela]

Hi,

A few things come to mind:

1. Color cosmetics is a term used for decorative cosmetics;

2. Experimenting with the shampoo base and the colours on hand, will give you the answers you’re looking for; nobody can guess how they will behave in your formula, and less so, what %s will give you the desired colours; manufacturer’s guidance could be a good starting point;

Side note: as a customer, I would expect that the colour is added to visually differentiate the shampoos based on hair-concerns, but if too many options are presented (three seems resonable), I would go for something that I already know and trust.

Best of luck in your experiments.

[Aniela]

Hi,

As Nivea is owned by Beiersdorf, I suppose the patent you’re looking for should be here https://patents.justia.com/assignee/beiersdorf-ag

There are many patents they own, therefore many pages, so you’re in for an “adventure”…

[Aniela]

You can use glyceryl stearate as a co-emulsifier if you want, but you need a proper emulsifier in your formula. That should solve the “water-issue” you described.

Glyceryl stearate by itself is a weak emulsifier, it won’t help you obtain a stable emulsion.

[Aniela]

Hi,

There is a 2024 Iranian study I’ve read (Kopexil vs Minoxidil), and they dispersed the Kopexil in a solution of ethanol and water, in a ratio 70:30 (the dispersion process was carried out under continuous
stirring using an overhead stirrer, until a homogenous
mixture was obtained).

[Aniela]

Hi, not an error.

Here are more details

TEGODEO®-A30-eco.pdf 800 KB PDF - Click to view

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• Copy Download Link

[Aniela]

You could check it on UL Prospector. The commercial name is Tyrostat™ 11.

As far as I know, this product is not available to retailers, thus little to no info on it.

[Aniela]

Hi,

The title and explanation are a bit misleading: olivem 800 is not PEG-free as “ceteareth-” refers to a PEG (polyethylene glycol-) ether of cetearyl alcohol; the number behind “ceteareth-” refers to the average number of molecular units -CH2-CH2-O- (explanation under “ceteareth-6” on cosmileeurope.eu)

That being said, you could check this blog https://formulabotanica.com/organic-sprayable-body-lotion-sucrose-stearate/

[Aniela]

I would apply @evchem2 suggestions.

Regarding the solubilizer, the manufacturer lists, under “Incompatibilities”: vegetable oils and cationic surfactants.

[Aniela]

Have you checked Fraterworks?

The shipping fees might be lower than one would expect.

[Aniela]

Happy New Year!????

Not yet a “great folk”-profesionally speaking, but getting there.

Taking this opportunity to thank you, and all the members who kindly took their time to answer/help- please know that your input is highly appreciated.

Wishing you all a healthy and fulfiled 2025????

[Aniela]

1. Solubility of sodium benzoate in water is 1:1.8, so surely you don’t need much water in there, but it might be of no use in your product, because

2. It is relatively inactive above approximately pH 5. Sodium benzoate has both bacteriostatic
and antifungal properties attributed to undissociated benzoic
acid; hence preservative efficacy is best seen in acidic solutions
(pH 2–5). In alkaline conditions it is almost without effect.- as far as I know, a toothpaste should not have an acidic pH.

Both (info) from the “Handbook of Pharmaceutical Excipients”.

[Aniela]

I don’t know if this is the clinical trial you’re after, but it looks like it could be https://brieflands.com/articles/jjnpp-114152

Happy New Year!

[Aniela]

Please remember that Dr Google can always be of help????

1. If you have taken the time to check the ingredients’ list of similar products on the market (sold by established brands), you’d have noticed on the said lists, things like silica, or dendritic salt, or tapioca starch. Any of these will prevent your salts from clumping, but dendritic salt greatly boosts fragrance retention.

2. You do list tapioca starch, but for an anti-clumping effect, the % should be around 10, not 1.

3. What is the benefit of introducing almond oil/any carrier oil in the formula? I suggest you take it out.

4. What’s you packaging?

• This reply was modified 7 months, 2 weeks ago by  Aniela.

[Aniela]

I did hear this question a lot lately, but WHY?

Two points before explaining my question:

1. a fragrance longevity of 30+ min should be of concern to perfumers, not to skincare formulators;

2. if you develop a skin product with your client in mind, you’d take in consideration that the said client could be using more than one fragranced product;

Now, picture this: someone wears a fragrance coming from your skin lotion, plus the fragrance coming from a deodorant, plus a perfume or/and an after-shave, plus some fragranced hair product. This would be a “cocktail” of different fragrances with different chemical components, and if every product (except perfume) was made with the 30+ minutes in mind, who’s to get the headache, and/or nausea (or worse)? The wearer and/or the people around her/him.

The fragrance of a lotion is there just to make the experience of applying it more pleasant, not to last all day.

If it lasts 30 min+, it should be called “body-perfume”: this way people would be aware that they might not need/want an additional fragranced product if they use the lotion.

[Aniela]

As far as my knowledge goes, both of them don’t “like” hard water, and both of them are associated with high levels of deposition when hard water is used.

Maybe this can help

https://yeserchem.com/optimizing-detergent-performance-in-the-face-of-water-hardness/

[Aniela]

You said you’ve contacted the distributors: can’t you contact the manufacturer(s)?

This way you’ll know for sure if it’s a production issue, or a “chain” related issue.

[Aniela]

Hi,

According to this, there are some acidic ones, or there were- the article is from Sep. 2000

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11040525/

[Aniela]

Thank you for the article, and no worries- somehow, my brain read “increased”.

[Aniela]

Thank you, indeed.

Didn’t know that about sodium benzoate’s behavior.

[Aniela]

Happy New Year, Phil- and sorry @Margaret for hijacking????

Would you be so kind to shed some light on the use of sodium benzoate in an usually alcaline (toothpaste) product? (except the whitening toothpastes, which I assume are acidic)

Thank you.

• This reply was modified 7 months, 2 weeks ago by  Aniela. Reason: spelling mistake

[Aniela]

I did notice that as well, but I assumed that sodium benzoate was only used in the “whitening” ones- they should be acidic (I think) to be able to clean so deep.

[Aniela]

Natrasorb is fine, just go for 10%- it does nothing at 1%, hence the clumps you’ve noticed.

As for stability tests, your safety assesor should be able to advice you on that.

[Aniela]

Sorry, I wish I could help, but no experience with large batches as yet. Also, no experience with Cetrimonium chloride and Ceteareth-20.

Hopefully, the more knowledgeable people will chime in. Fingers crossed????