[Doreen]

@tanelise
So kind of you to think of that!
I already have a new mixer, so there’s no urgent need. 
Keep us informed about it, though! (if the new mixer isn’t all that great, I might want the Mophorn anyway)
Shipping prices all fees etc included to here are quite high. I think it will be around what the Mophorn costs.

[Doreen]

@tanelise
I have bought other mixers in the mean time. I wish I could order it some other way, rather than the few sellers on Amazon, who don’t ship this mixer abroad.
It’s amazingly cheap so I hope for you that it’s durable.

[Doreen]

Fragrance consists of highly volatile components, you’re adding it a too high temperature. I would suggest adding it <40C at cool down.
Phenoxyethanol is only slightly volatile, so I add it (up to 0,5%) in the heated water phase shortly before emulsification.

For more help you should give the concentrations in %. Now we can only guess.

[Doreen]

Thanks Perry, looking forward to it!

[Doreen]

[Doreen]

[Doreen]

@DRBOB@VERDIENT.BIZ
Thanks!  

[Doreen]

@Belassi
Ok, thanks! You mean better than the Ultrez 10? (I don’t have Ultrez 20)

[Doreen]

@DRBOB@VERDIENT.BIZ
Thanks. I actually never use TEA to neutralize, mostly NaOH in different concentrations.

@tanelise
The only disadvantage of carbomers is their sensivity to electrolytes, but for the rest they’re absolutely superior to gums, like xanthan!
I now have the Ultrez 10 and ETD 2020 (Lubrizol) and I’m still getting to use these, but I absolutely love the sensorials!

[Doreen]

I use trimethylglycine (betain), as a solubilizing aid for salicylic acid. Betain also has skin benefits. No need for alcohol etc. Also works for allantoin (solubilizing higher % of it). I use 3% of it and it perfectly keeps 2-2.5% SA (or 1-1.5% allantoin) solubilized (along with 5% pentylene glycol and 10% PG in an aqueous product) I never have recrystallization problems anymore, even if I put it in the fridge!

[Doreen]

@em88
Just try it by adding to the (hot) oil phase. I found out that there was no need to disperse it first in an oil. Just try it and go along with what works best for you.
Good luck! 

@Belassi
That’s odd. I never have problems adding it to the oil phase, it’s also quite common to do so!
Edit: I read that you disperse it in a part of the oil phase. Maybe the quantity was too small, then it will become sticky because you don’t have enough medium to disperse it in. I just add it to the hot oil phase, no pre-dispersion, and voilà! 

[Doreen]

I used to apply petrolatum as well for dry skin/eczemic laesions, I agree that the heavy, greasy feel doesn’t feel nice, though it is superior in reducing TEWL.
Now I make a lighter cream for during the day (with esters like isoamyl laurate) and a buttery cream or anhydrous butter during the night (for the latter I make whipped butters, 75% shea, 22,4% oils, 2,5-5% behenyl alcohol, 0,1% tocopherol or BHT).
It’s just my opinion, but to me the whole ‘skin nurturing’ thing is just marketing BS. I’ve used creams with cholesterol/ceramides etc, but I have never noticed a significant difference.
I do however like the effect of oatmeal. It seems to calm the skin.

I agree with Microformulation: maybe it’s best to visit your GP. The addition of a class I or II corticosteroid could be an option.

[Doreen]

@MarkBroussard
What I meant was (despite in which phase it is dispersed, water or oil) if the emulsion before neutralizing has a pH of about 5 and if the type of carbomer has high viscosity at lower pH’s: it will start unraveling before it is neutralized. Polymers are sensitive to high shear when fully unraveled, so I hope I don’t damage the strucure when I still need to homogenize and neutralize, but the polymer has already unraveled because of it being viscous at low pH?
Thát was my concern. The few times I’ve worked with low pH carbomers, I’ve used low shear to avoid an irreversible viscosity drop due to structural damage. But I wonder if there are other/better ways to deal with it.

[Doreen]

A note of caution:
I would always use a wetting agent when dispersing coated pigments in rough mortars (i.e. don’t grind/pulverize them as you might damage the coating which could result in a change of colour.) Maybe this warning is for mica’s only or all coated pigments, I’m not sure.

[Doreen]

@tanelise
I found dispersing xanthan in the oil phase the quickest way (and I never had clumps/fish eyes), but all roads lead to Rome I guess. 
Enjoy experimenting!

[Doreen]

I don’t know what your batch size is, but maybe this is an idea:
- take a mortar + pestle with roughened surface;
- put a bit of wetting agent and spread it in the mortar (to prevent pigment from adsorbing to surface too much);
- disperse pigment with same quantities of wetting agent.
(edit: so don’t use a huge amount of wetting agent with a tiny bit of pigment, but in same quantities or you’ll never get a homogeneous end result.)

This is how I used to disperse pigments in the pharmacy.
Good luck!

[Doreen]

@gld010
Not at all. Maybe you’re confused with hyaluronic acid?
You can add it to the water phase by creating a small vortex when mixing with high/regular shear. Like Belassi mentioned, if you insist on adding it to the water phase, it’s better to pre-disperse it in glycerin or another polyol, for example.

[Doreen]

@tanelise
It’s better to disperse the xanthan gum in the heated oil phase. This way you also avoid clumps as it doesn’t hydrate yet. Can’t you use carbomers by the way? They’re superior to gums in several ways, and I absolutely love the sensorials.

[Doreen]

@MarkBroussard
@DRBOB@VERDIENT.BIZ
About the low pH carbomers:
As soon as I put the phases together, the polymer is already unraveling: can I still use high shear to mix the emulsion? (I disperse carbomers in the heated oil phase btw).

I have asked Lubrizol about a polymer with high electrolyte tolerance and they suggested ETD 2020, which I have right now.
I wanted a carbomer that can withstand 2% of an approx. 49% sodium phytate solution (Dermofeel Enlight). 
I also have bought Sepimax Zen but haven’t worked with it yet.
Is Zen’s tolerance higher than 2020?

[Doreen]

@em88
I got it later on. You meant you were still worried about Mary24 being serious about it.

[Doreen]

@ozgirl
I’m also very curious about the EZ4U Pemulen, I hope it will live up to its name and really be EasyForYou.
You’re right, TR-1 and TR-2 don’t go along with fatty alcohols, you’ll get cheesecake if you add them. Also, the EZ4U should be less sensitive to electrolytes, which is my main issue…
I bought TR-1 because the TR-2 is more for sprayable lotions. The TR-2 can handle a bigger oil phase though. 
Please keep me notified if you try them, I’d like to hear what your experience is!

[Doreen]

@Bill_Toge
personally, if I were creating a body remover, I’d use something like concentrated nitric acid, but if the police ask you any questions I said nothing

 
 

[Doreen]

@Microformulation
To really get good with aseptic technique takes training and practice.

Exactly. And perform (annual) broth/agar infusions for individual quality tests.

@em88
I was scared when I red about the OP having so limited info about sterile preparation, but still getting fully involved. 

I have no idea what you’re talking about?

[Doreen]

@chemicalmatt
Do nonionics also interfere with formaldehyde releasers? I thought this was with parabens and phenoxyethanol only?

[Doreen]

@Microformulation
To attempt this without specific training and “searching well” as ones sole credential is both reckless and dangerous. 

I am in full agreement.
Usually if people say ‘they’ve read about it a lot’ they’re not the slightest bit trained/educated in basic chemistry, let alone in microbiology or specialized (pharmaceutical) preparations. Using a laminar flowhood without exactly knowing what one is doing is indeed both reckless and dangerous.

I’m still not sure what to think of it. You’ve come to a cosmetic forum to get help for an ophthalmic solution. If you’re a pharmaceutical formulator already, what point is there for us to give basic instructions? If there is still need for utter basic knowledge about aseptic preparations, such as the need for laminar airflow during aseptic preparations, I wonder if it’s wise at all? Haven’t you been an intern at the end of your study? I’ve spent four obligatory weeks as an intern before I prepared aseptic preparations individually.