[belassi]

Why are you using 9% of twen/stearate 

Because otherwise it separates.

[belassi]

The thing is that I understand you want a dissolvable container. That implies something that will dissolve in a polar medium. If you use any polar material inside, the system will not work. Glycerine is polar. Alcohol is polar. The only way is to use a powder internal system or possibly a binary system but that sounds like rocket science.

[belassi]

But sodium cocoamphoacetate is an amphoteric, not an ionic surfactant? 

[belassi]

Anything with water in it needs a preservative.

[belassi]

Remove the propylene glycol first. Can’t see the point in that.

[belassi]

Thickening occurs simply because it is an emulsion, and o/w emulsions are thick. My own has 6% glyceryl monostearate and 3.5% polysorbate 80 and only 4.5% total lipids including the silicones. You may find it useful to add some cetearyl alcohol.

[belassi]

It’s not that far from my own conditioner formula, but I would never use mineral oils (hydrocarbons).

[belassi]

potassium sorbate works fine. Keep the pH around 5 - 5.2

[belassi]

I don’t see this as possible from a fundamental chemistry point of view if you use a liquid, but it should be possible to encapsulate a solid surfactant blend.

[belassi]

It is not a preservative. It is not an emulsifier either. It is an emollient. Helps detangling, provides slip, thickens. Used in conditioners. About 4% typical.

[belassi]

No idea at all. The pH was whatever is normal for those ingredients, close to 7 I imagine. I have not done any testing to discover the extent of the effect. It is of interest to me because of the expense of high-quality thickeners; I am always looking for thickening effects.

[belassi]

Sorry but I have no experience with that one.

[belassi]

That’s correct. Pearling agents do decrease foam. You will have to compensate for that, usually by increasing the % surfactant concentration, or possibly adding a foam stabiliser or enhancer …

[belassi]

I think that is something you will have to discover for yourself. I spent around two years experimenting with surfactants before I began to understand what might be happening.

[belassi]

Interesting that it is blue! I have a blue dye here that I bought for shampoo colour. On exposure to light - even a good desk lamp will do it - it turns turquoise. Maybe I can make some sun-sensitive paper with it!

[belassi]

The thickness changed according to the micelle structure types, is what happened. I once accidentally created a large transparent “rubber” ball about 20 cm in diameter, from a surfactant mixture.

[belassi]

First: It is ESSENTIAL that there is no trace of the cream left on the threads of the pot or in the lid area or the liner (seal). You must seal the jar in a clean condition. Any tiny amount of material will be very prone to mould growth since it contains insufficient preservative reserve.

Second: Your preservative system is inadequate to deal with your product, and it is probably due to the milk content. 

Third: What properties do you think goat milk gives it? I honestly can’t see any point.

Fourth: The preservative you are using must be added <50C or it won’t work properly.

[belassi]

I already got a quote, I can buy PVA for around $3.50 a kilo.

[belassi]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24750029

Interesting

[belassi]

Also this: Polyquart H81. This works great in shampoos too. About 1% or so. I use 1.5% of this, plus 1% of Lamesoft, in my all-purpose shampoo with tea tree oil, based on ammonium sulphates. I actually prefer the result to that of my sulphate-free shampoo.

[belassi]

And maybe licorice. I’ve got to find a use for all that licorice (grin).

[belassi]

Interesting. Since I have such a building-site quantity of clays, I’ll see if I can procure some polyvinyl alcohol. If I can get some, I’ll begin experimenting in the lab. I’m thinking of including some herbal actives such as aloe vera, calendula and centella asiatica. Also a lipid emollient, perhaps.

[belassi]

By the way. Has anyone tried combining clay with polyvinyl alcohol to get a peel-off clay mask?

[belassi]

All colours of kaolin are due simply to various other minerals, principally iron. Thus, red kaolin contains red iron oxide (rust) while black kaolin contains a slightly different iron oxide.

Kaolin comes from all parts of the world. We have a national source here in Mexico but it is found in veins that make its extraction more expensive. The kaolin I have here is sourced in South Kansas I believe and it’s exceptionally fine, very low in free silicates.

[belassi]

Why black?