Forum Replies Created

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  • chemicalmatt

    Member
    September 30, 2014 at 5:49 pm in reply to: Emulsion stabilizers that don’t worsen skin feel or absorption

    ZInk, none of the above, with possible exception of magnesium aluminum silicate, are peroxide stable, and neither is sunflower oil.  Unsaturated carbon bonds do not like peroxygens (or, correction, yes they do, and a lot).  Ethoxylated linear alkyl alcohols work best, e.g. Steareth-2, Ceteareth-21, etc.

  • chemicalmatt

    Member
    September 25, 2014 at 5:48 pm in reply to: PEG-8 in cleansers

    It is used here as a foam stabilizer.

  • chemicalmatt

    Member
    September 25, 2014 at 5:46 pm in reply to: Dimethicone (silicon)

    Use 350 CST dimethicone for all-around use in skin care. 1000 CST can be better for detangling in hair-care, and is almost as easy to emulsify as 350. I never unerstood the need for 200.or lower.  As for volatile silicone, all will dilute dimethicone easily. D4 works best in hair-care due to its higher volatility, and is lower priced generally.  Most of the majors supply a D4/D5 blend for general use, and yes, they are all cyclomethicone, just different heterocycle ring sizes. 

  • chemicalmatt

    Member
    September 25, 2014 at 5:37 pm in reply to: colloidal oatmeal

    There is no maximum use threshold for that material to my knowledge.  In fact, it is sold in solid state form (100%) commonly, though no drug claim is made.

  • Nope.  Buy and use the 99% and save money.

  • chemicalmatt

    Member
    September 24, 2014 at 5:39 pm in reply to: Water Soluble Pomade Help

    Bill Toge is on the right track there, BJ.  The entire mess here should be considered a plasticizer, with the exception of water and PVP. That goes for those other commercial formulas too. My opinion: trying to emulate the Hicks Transformation w/s pomades, such as this one, is wasting time, money and effort by adding ANY fixative resin, given the huge level of nonionics incorporated.  Just adjust the level of Ceteareth-25  to the point you can package it without seizing the pistons on your PD filler, then leave it at that. Minimize - or delete entirely - all the rest.  These are not emulsions, they are surfactant gel solutions.

  • chemicalmatt

    Member
    September 24, 2014 at 5:28 pm in reply to: can too much PEG 40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil be dangerous?

    I cannot remember the particulars of the last CIR statement on PEG-40 HCO, but I do know it has been GRAS since the 1930’s, when it was invented. In fact, that compound was the very first nonionic surfactant ever introduced into commerce if I remember correctly. I’d be much more concerned with those essential oils promoting irritation.

  • chemicalmatt

    Member
    September 24, 2014 at 5:20 pm in reply to: Thick turns to thin

    That sounds wierd, as if you overshot the salt curve in time delay fashion.  There must be another element to this basic shampoo formula you are leaving out. Can you elaborate?  Also, get rid of glycerine: sulfate-free systems are difficult enough to build viscosity without having that infamous viscosity (and foam) killer in the formula. Also, it lends zero re-fatting efficacy in virtually all formulas. Friends, don’t let friends use glycerine in their shampoos and body washes. 

  • chemicalmatt

    Member
    September 2, 2014 at 5:07 pm in reply to: Calcium Hydroxide

    Adding to Bill’s discussion, Gustavo, add the CaOH2 to the tank with the mixer off.  Dump the bags slowly (wearing half-mask respirator,safety goggles, etc.) into - or rather onto -  the water phase surface, shut the lid, turn the mixer on at a slow speed and don;t open the lid for at least 10 minutes.  If you add directly to the vortex or a fast agitated water phase, you will generate a calcium hydroxide cloud and if that happens you will piss off many people, including me, and I won’t even be there. Safety first!

  • chemicalmatt

    Member
    September 2, 2014 at 4:56 pm in reply to: Chemist Fees?

    I’ve never heard of consulting chemists obtaining royalty rights to a marketed product, even though Bob’s logic makes (some) rationale for it.  Usually, JCG, formulation work is one-and-done. Also, ethical formulation consultants (like yours truly and present company, I hope) will lend advice during pilot-batch scale-up production gratis over the phone. If the process instructions and release specs are explicit and rendered in cGMP format, even this should not be necessary.  Any trips to a manufacturing facility to follow up will require more fees and travel expenses of course. I’ll add my !!! to David’s too.  $25K for a single formula is pretty darn high.  That better be one helluva original formulation they provided you.

  • chemicalmatt

    Member
    August 22, 2014 at 5:33 pm in reply to: Problems with Sylvaclear A200V or Uniclear 100VG?

    Bob’s right on this one.  Those things “seed” too early, they get grainy.  For the record, ozgirl, there is no issue with the raw material.  That Sylvaclear stuff will stay viable for years, if not decades!

  • chemicalmatt

    Member
    August 22, 2014 at 5:28 pm in reply to: Trouble Shooting Deodorant Batches

    Shawna, this is an old problem and will always occur eventually with the PG/sodium stearate stick systems as the product ages. The old alcohol types (SDA that is) didn’t do it as much.  Having said that, here is your SUPER SECRET ANSWER: add a little cocamide DEA to the formula.  Yup, THAT cocamide DEA. You may try lauramide MEA, cocamide MIPA or another alkanolamide, but Coco DEA works best at preserving that gloss finish - at least for a while. Also, it aids in propel-repel movement, sort of a lubricant, if you will.  All hail Cocoamide DEA! Screw the California state legislature. I dare those hapless fools to come to Chicago and tell ME what to put into my deodorant stick. OK, I got that off my chest; stepping off the soapbox…..

  • I would use sodium metabisulfite here at 0.10%.at that pH level, it ought to do the trick. Cheap too.

  • chemicalmatt

    Member
    August 22, 2014 at 5:02 pm in reply to: Stearic acid, KOH and Carbomer

    Rencelj, always add the KOH or NaOH or whatever alkali to the batch after mixing oil/water phases, above 65C, the more dilute, the better off you will be. ANd, yes, you must factor for neutralizing/saponifying both acid contributors.  Since KOH is sold (world-wide) in a 40% liquid form, this makes the job easy.  Your ratio of 5:1 is not based on solid state, which would be more like 18:1.  For the Ultrez, you may use approximately 1 part 40% KOH to 8 parts Ultrez 21, just as a rule of thumb .

  • chemicalmatt

    Member
    August 4, 2014 at 12:03 pm in reply to: Detangler

    EWG, eh?  %&^%!!*%#! a$$wipes ruin many a good formulation.There - rant over!.

  • chemicalmatt

    Member
    August 4, 2014 at 11:56 am in reply to: pH & Viscosity

    Too many electrolytes, dude!  Carbomer will not sustain viscosity when you incorporate sodium ion and titanium ion within.  In fact, divalent electrolytes are perticularly unforgiving with carbomers, even the alkyl-subbed ones.

  • chemicalmatt

    Member
    August 4, 2014 at 11:52 am in reply to: Thickening Silicone & Other Oils

    Paula, you likley used Versagel from Calumet-Penreco before?  You are right, the polysioxane gums will thicken but always present a matte finish - OK for make-up primers, not so much for glossers. I seem to recall Seppic was recently peddling a silicone thickener; perhaps check their repertoire?.

  • chemicalmatt

    Member
    August 4, 2014 at 11:46 am in reply to: Emulfiying 20% Icaridin in water

    Sammos, if opacity is not a factor, I’ve been getting great results with Imulsifi, the polymeric stabilizer/emulsifier from FIberstar.  Its derived from orange pulp and doesn’t build viscosity until you get above 2% or so.  It should hold that oil load and spray sufficiently,  Icaridin might require a mid-HLB co-surfactant like PEG-40 HCO along with the Imusifi. 

  • Sammos, you mention clay.  If this is only kaolin, then you want to have bentonite or laponite in there also; for thixotropy, then sitting still when not under shear stress so it will set up.  Both work well with xanthan too.

  • You will need a dispersant for those iron oxide pigments, my friend.  I don’t see one.listed.

  • chemicalmatt

    Member
    July 30, 2014 at 5:19 pm in reply to: INCI and CAS#

    I’ll add that gelatin actually is collagen, and hydrolyzed collagen actually is a mixture of (collagen) amino acids, so the C.A.S.# likely is the same for all three critters, so to speak.

  • chemicalmatt

    Member
    July 30, 2014 at 5:13 pm in reply to: Detangler

    Gotta’ problem with silicone? Behenyl TMS will emulsify dimethicone, one of the slippery-est of detanglers.  Do not add protein, it will make this tacky - the antithesis of slippery.

  • chemicalmatt

    Member
    July 9, 2014 at 4:30 pm in reply to: Non Ionic Emulsifiers

    Paula, assuming “NE’ means non-ionic emulsifier, use PEG-40 Peroleate for your bath oil.  It works even better than the combo you were used to. On the other hand, if “NE” means non-ethoxylated, as millia suggests, then you are SOL.

  • chemicalmatt

    Member
    July 9, 2014 at 4:16 pm in reply to: Do you avoid the dirty dozen?

    I never thought the “sulfate-free” trend would get farther than use in color-retention shampoos, for which they are actually preferred; yet there it is.  Plenty of customers are now asking for sulfate-free cleansers, even laundry detergents!. Same for parabens: a shame the perception has gotton this far advanced, and we are forced to use less effective anti-fungal preservatives.  As for triclosan - no problem and good riddance.  p-chloro-m-xylenol was - and still is - just as effective a microbiocide, when coupled with phenoxyethanol, as triclosan, only at half the price.  It is accepted as a preservative globally and works at any pH. Sure it has odor issues, but that is easily overcome. I seem to recall triclosan’s original appeal was it didn’t impart a medicinal odor like PCMX, and had better solubility in water. Big deal.

  • chemicalmatt

    Member
    July 9, 2014 at 4:01 pm in reply to: ingredient for producing fine particle makeup fixing spray

    cssci21, I’m reasonably sure you are without a fix here.  My guess is it isn’t viscosity making your product “stream” instead of spray, it is polymer chemistry. Long-chain polymers, which may comprise one or more of your film-forming gums,do not lend themselves to atomization in a spray format, unless they are at very low levels of concentration.  In the event I’m mistaken, however, just add a little salt along with a little alkanolamide (to prevent clogging the spray valve.)

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