[Berry_8]

ok, that’s a good idea. my carbomer is the preneutralised sodium carbomer however, so i think it will pretty much be inactive at that ph, or at least wont be providing any viscosity boost. but i will still do this just to see if the bubbles remain. 

My hunch is telling me it’s the AVC. If i make the same formula with a different polymer at the same % the bubbles dont show up. But I also dont get the viscosity i want, because AVC seems to thicken up the cream a LOT more than EMT 10, for example. I also don’t get that special feel that AVC brings. This formula with AVC is a body butter, with EMT 10 it is a lotion. 

I use AVC in other formulas and they dont ever form bubbles, however the most i have ever used before is 0.7%. Could it be possible that using a lot of AVC is somehow causing this to happen?

[Berry_8]

I guess maybe I will have to do some of the ol knockout tests and see which problematic ingredient it is. Hopefully that reveals the answer, otherwise…I just might give up!

[Berry_8]

Oh sorry, that is a total of 2% emulsifier. I have tried L, 68 and 202, but only one at a time. 

[Berry_8]

And @Graillotion thanks for all your tips. As you can probably tell many ingredients here I have chosen from comments you and others have made on this forum!

[Berry_8]

Ok I will post my formula below, the numbers are in %.

I’m thinking you guys are right and there is some kind of incompatibility going on. It’s so weird (and incredibly frustrating) to have air bubbles start growing in there, especially in just a matter of days!

Phase A

Water - Q.S.
GLDA - 0.2
Glycerin - 3
Propanediol - 2

Phase B

Cocoa butter - 2
Milk thistle oil - 2
Natrasil - 2.5
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate - 3.7
Montanov L/68/202 - 2
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate - 0.75
AVC - 1
Carbomer - 0.2

Phase C (Cooldown)

Pentylene Glycol - 2
Hyaluronic Acid 4D - 1
Hexanediol/Caprylyl Glycol - 0.5
Tocopherol - 0.4
Fragramce - 0.8
Euxyl 9010 - 1

Citric Acid - to 5.7

I add phase A into phase B at 75-85 (depending on which montanov I’m using). Then I start mixing, careful not to inttroduce any air or mix too fast as it cools. 

And that’s pretty much it.

Any possible incompatibility here?

[Berry_8]

Graillotion said:

Why are you adjusting at the end…other that a final look/tweak?  

Because I am an amateur and didn’t think to do it any other way! 

From now on I will definitely stop waiting until the end to adjust my ph. Thanks for the tip. 

Do you think I could just add a little more EMT 10 instead of GSC or SSG? I don’t believe I have those on hand right now. 

[Berry_8]

@MarkBroussard do you know where i can purchase this pre-dissolved SCI? That sounds like an incredibly convenient option, i’d love to have it. Is it the same as this buttery form of SCI from this website?

https://www.theherbarie.com/SCI-Pearl-Surfactant.html

i’m using it because i find it to have unique properties that no other surfactant has, even its liquid cousin SLMI.

[Berry_8]

Ok, good to know I can add surfactants either during or after the emulsification step.

However my current predicament is a bit complicated because of my choice of SCI, which i usually have to dissolve in a much higher % of water. So im not sure the best way to go about it with SCI…i’m assuming i couldnt just add the SCI powder straight into the emulsion without first
dissolving it, right? 

[Berry_8]

Well after countless knockout tests and headscratching I finally just lowered lamesoft from 3 to 2.5% and that seems to have taken care of the cloudiness! 

@DeedeeUkulele

I was already adding lamesoft to the surfactants before mixing in the water phase so that wasn’t the issue.

@ketchito
Going forward i will add honeyquat to the betaines just in case.

thanks for the input!