[belassi]

Vitamin C degrades faster with increased temperature so if you want to use it, you should incorporate it after cool-down and then store the product under refrigeration. Even then it is unlikely to be active after several weeks.

[belassi]

There are two ways of removing grease: surfactants, and solvents. And possibly enzymes too, although that’s an area beyond me. I’ve read that often, a combination approach works best. The usual solvent of choice is D-Limonene. Engine degreasers use a different approach, for instance Gunk. They are very secretive; it’s a mixture of “aromatic hydrocarbon oils” and up to 10% of non-ionic surfactant. Probably similar to soluble oil as used in workshops. A self-emulsifying system.

[belassi]

Thanks for posting the update!

[belassi]

>23% lipids and only 3% emulsifier?

[belassi]

Here:

https://chemistscorner.com/cosmeticsciencetalk/discussion/1642/surfactant-book#latest

[belassi]

According to the HLD model, the presence of electrolytes, salts, etc alters the required emulsifier values quite markedly. I posted a PDF link to the book about this a little while ago. It’s not bed time reading but it is very useful and interesting. I can’t really comment further because I have no experience with that emulsifier. So the answer to your question, is yes.

[belassi]

This evening I was chatting to one of our testers and he commented that he’d had a slight rash that had cleared up when using soap. I’m going to not produce any more until I am 100% certain because right now I am not 100% sure, but pretty sure. I guess I need to do patch tests at the same concentration?

[belassi]

It’s occurring in two different products. Sorry if I have not been clear.

In the first case it was Emulgin VL-75 in a skin cream, 2% usage (emulsifier). The main component in Emulgin is decyl glucoside. It caused a case of what looked like small boils. Unpleasant to say the least.

More recently I noted that I was coming out in hives and was wondering what might be the cause. Then I ran out of the body shampoo and used natural soap. The hives went away. I tried the body shampoo again. Once again I had a reaction, pretty much within hours. 

The body shampoo contains Lamesoft PO-65, and one of its two ingredients is coco-glucoside.

I also make a liquid soap which has the exact same basis except no Lamesoft. When I tried it instead, I got no allergic reaction. So I am pretty certain the Lamesoft is the cause, and considering it’s in a rinse-off product and only at 1% concentration, and only half of it (probably) is glucoside … I think you’ll understand my concern.

[belassi]

The fact is, that I’m coming out in hives as a reaction to a rinse off product that contains only 0.5% of the glucoside (approximately). That’s what makes me think that the ingredient may be a potent cause of allergic reactions.

[belassi]

I wonder if finely ground propolis could be used as a preserver… it’s anhydrous. (just a suggestion for those wanting ‘natural’ substances)

[belassi]

I thought that in the USA hydroquinones are NOT over the counter products?

[belassi]

Sounds to me as if summerstar’s client is a member of the “religion of peace”. Thus the ‘non intoxicating’.

[belassi]

I fixed this problem. PEG-7 glyceryl cocoate has a similar HLB value. Tried it as a substitute and got a really nice result.

[belassi]

I have some Iselux SFS here and have tested it pretty thoroughly. My results were that our existing sulphate-free formula foams better, has better sensorials, and costs less. I am getting back to the *original* question here.

I’m pretty sure your preservative is causing the problem you mentioned.

[belassi]

Is it normal to use surfactants like that in cosmetic emulsions? I was really surprised to see what I regard as a shampoo surfactant as the primary ingredient in the mixture. (Naturally they don’t specify the amounts of each, but after 3 weeks standing you can measure the layers with a ruler.) If so why wouldn’t other shampoo-style emulsifiers be used?

[belassi]

Madness. Why waste perfectly good vodka when denatured ethanol would work fine?

[belassi]

Interesting LOI for that product. Perry. Did you notice there are NO pH adjusters listed, despite the fact that DG is known to have very high pH? (up to 10.5 apparently)

[belassi]

Decyl glucoside usually has a very high pH and will require a lot of citric acid to neutralise. Or you could use a carboxylic acid surfactant to neutralise.

[belassi]

Oxidation causes that. I’ve seen it in D-Limonene.

[belassi]

Triclosan is a substance that should not be in soap, it is an environmental contaminant.

[belassi]

Use the MIC dose level of an essential oil, eg Tea Tree or Neem or both. 

[belassi]

I don’t even know what a “lumbersexual” might be (Thank goodness!) but as for hair .. grease .. urgh

[belassi]

Use a thickener system to compensate.

[belassi]

OMG, Brilliantine! Back to the Future!

[belassi]

Thanks for the very interesting note! I need to get my numbers up so that I can buy a larger quantity at one time.