[Bati]

I have found Stearic Acid to be particularly troublesome with regard to soaping (whitening on rub in) in cream/emulsion formulas. I would replace it with Cetyl Alcohol and see where that gets you.

Additionally, what is your pH. Stearic acid turn into “soap” at high pH.

I’m not sure what you mean with regard to your emulsifier:oil ratio. Your emulsifier levels look adequate for the amount of oil you have. You could even consider reducing them slightly. I have seen soaping with GMS also, but not to the extent of stearic acid. Perhaps try replacing that also.

[Bati]

I have used Dodecane to great effect. It is also volatile.

[Bati]

What is astonishing about this is that any reasonable person can see that this is puffery, and yet it won an award for scientific innovation. So often we lament groups that aren’t inside or actively involved in our industry for pushing pseudoscience and purposefully perpetuating misconceptions. Disheartening to see it within the industry as well.

[Bati]

I ended up neutralizing with more Potassium Hydroxide as the viscosity got too thick during cool down. Worked out better from a processing perspective but I did have to homogenize at the end to make the product uniform (turned out pretty lumpy). I kept track of the total amount of potassium hydroxide added, so I’m going to try to add it all right away and see what happens.

[Bati]

I have used the GP-1 and EB-21 gelling agents (Bobzchemist’s link above) to get crystal clear gel/silicone sticks (according to their literature, you must use a combination of both GP-1 and EB-21 to get clarity).You could try adjusting the use levels to get gels, although I do not know what would happen during stability testing.

[Bati]

This is great as a general starting framework for identifying  scale up issues. I’ve found some of the following practices to be also very helpful:

-Run a % solids test - If you have a moisture balance analyzer, running a quick % solids test on a lab batch and comparing it to the production batch can give you some useful information.

-Run analytical tests - For products with actives that can be assayed, you can run various analytical tests (GC, HPLC, etc.) to determine the level of actives in your lab batch or possibly identify impurities in the production batch.

-Specific Gravity comparisons - If the SG of the production batch is way off, you can take a look at the SGs of the raw materials and possibly identify which materials are part of the issue.

[Bati]

Thanks for the reference @Maria. I’m still looking into this subject. You guys are probably right in that there are likely not any hard and fast rules to be found here.

[Bati]

Only 2 new “toxic” chemicals? We’re not even into Summer. I’d say Vegas has a even money line on at least 5 new “toxic” chemicals discovered this year that will “end life as we know it if swift and furious action isn’t taken against the cosmetic industry”.

[Bati]

I find this topic fascinating because I had never really considered it before. A few months ago I asked what I thought to be an intriguing question that I hadn’t seen addressed in a previous thread (https://chemistscorner.com/cosmeticsciencetalk/discussion/93/efficacy-of-water-based-actives-in-a-wo-emulsion). It was in regard to how a w/o vs. an o/w emulsion might affect the skin’s ability to receive actives from the formula. I did not receive any responses.

Do you guys think this kind of question is inappropriate or that it is something we should try to answer ourselves through independent research (something I did and am currently attempting to do)?

[Bati]

I agree with Herb. Basic chemistry concepts you’d find in Chem I and Chem II. Start with the periodic table (the most natural starting point I think), progress to atoms and compounds, move to chemical reactions, then throw in some acid-base chemistry. I would also go over types of chemical bonding which would help in understanding how chemicals interact with various substrates (i.e. why quats are attracted to hair, etc.). I guess a lot of it is dependent on how thorough you want to be as well. I’ve found a lot of the concepts I’ve learned in analytical chemistry to be helpful.

[Bati]

Have you considered a different emulsion type?  If most of your “actives” are water based, why not try a cold process emulsion? There are a number of polyglyceryl esters that can form stable emulsions with cold processes.

[Bati]

For emulsions you could also centrifuge it at ~5000 RPM’s for 3-5 minutes to get a quick idea of how well the emulsion has formed and how well it will hold up in stability testing.

[Bati]

@Perry - I would have to say I agree with you in principle. Companies and the marketing teams that direct them should place a larger emphasis on educating the public, rather than propagating false information. And I also think you hit the nail on the head. Marketers are lazy. They would rather kowtow to NGO’s and the pseudo/non-scientists spreading misinformation. 

What is your opinion regarding this topic as it pertains to innovation? Obviously, with companies formulating out of various “objectionable” preservatives, raw material suppliers are trying to come up with new options. Do you think there is still room for innovation in the field of preservation, or has everything in preservation technology been accomplished?

[Bati]

@Perry Do you think companies are mistaken in thinking consumers will fail to scrutinize reports like these and stop buying products with MIT in them?

[Bati]

I believe the stain is achieved using mostly D&C colors (Red 27, Yellow 5, etc.).

[Bati]

Thank you Duncan. I wasn’t aware of the PCPC buyers guide.

[Bati]

The Society of Cosmetic Chemists (abbreviated “SCC”) has websites for the various chapters around the country. This is probably your best bet.  Subscribe to the newsletter.  Check out the job listings for the chapter that is closest to you. You can also research and find job agencies in your area and tell them what you are looking for and find jobs that way. With no experience, you may have to cut your teeth for a year or two as a “lab technician” or “associate formulator/chemist”.

If you are serious about pursuing a career in Personal Care and Cosmetics, I can’t emphasize how helpful education is.  Experience is nice, but I feel like the effort I have put into educating myself about cosmetic chemistry has allowed me to utilize the experience I have gained more efficiently. This website offers a “Complete Cosmetic Chemist Training Program” which is fantastic. Again, if you are serious about pursuing this type of career, this is an investment that will pay huge dividends down the road, and make you much more hireable.