[itsgena]

Wow - thanks for all this extra information. I’m learning a lot.

You changed my mind. I’m definitely scraping borage oil in this formula - too much trouble for what it’s worth. I will add it to another anhydrous formula I have in mind, which will undoubtedly work much better.

Thank you for the invaluable advice about the preservative. As a beginner, it’s difficult sometimes to sort out which preservative is truly broad-spectrum, beyond the marketing claims. Dermasoft is a new one to me, and I’ll definitely consider it. Too bad it goes for $21 for 2 oz versus $6 for Optiphen. I’m also looking at Jeecide Cap-5 as a potential substitute, and if not, potentially a phenoxyethanol/chlorphenesin combo.

I definitely feel A LOT more confident going into this after your advice. Thank you again for sharing your knowledge and experience. 

Best of luck with your formulations as well

[itsgena]

Wow - A HUGE thanks for your substantive reply, Doreen! I’ve been contemplating this for an embarrassing amount of time and I’m so glad I decided to post this here and receive your helpful advice.

Let me break this apart so we keep organized:

“You don’t choose the easiest emulsifiers to start with. Most beginners start with an emulsifying wax blend like polysorbate 60 + cetearyl alcohol (which doesn’t need high shear).”

Thanks for the tip! I wasn’t aware this emulsifier combo didn’t need high sheer. I’ll consider this when I’m working with a formula with a known HLB. ::smile:

“I think 8% Ecomulse is a good starting point and you could lower your oil phase a bit. 0.2-0.3% xanthan gum is also a good idea, it’s also anionic. “

The main reason why my oil phase is on the larger side is because I want to use enough of my chosen vegetable oils for their skin barrier-repairing effects, not simply to dissolve my oil-soluble ingredients (e.g., cholesterol). If I keep it at 25%, do you then suggest 10% Ecomulse to be safe? And yes - that is why I chose xanthan gum here. Good to know I’m on the right track!

“About the recommended pH for Ecomulse: what type of preservative (blend) are you planning to use? Ecomulse and Olivem are Ecocert certified, is that important for you? “

I’m planning to use Optiphen (Phenoxyethanol and Caprylyl Glycol) at 1.5%. It’s effective at a pH of 4.0-8.0, so I thought it would be a good preservative to work with here. AND yes - Ecocert certified is important to me. If my homemade project becomes successful, I would like a chance to get it into stores like Trader Joes and Whole Foods. That’s also why I choose the preservative that I did.

“A quick tip as I’m in a hurry: you’d better use a stick blender than a whisk (a stick blender creates high shear forces).“

I’ve been going back & forth with this, wondering if the electric whisk would create high enough forces, but based on your recommendation, I’ll bite the bullet and purchase a stick blender. Better to be safe than sorry. 

“And borage oil is very prone to oxidation, I would personally choose another type of oil (like jojoba for example, which isn’t an oil officialy).”

This I know, which is why I had planned to add it in my cooling phase (< 40 C ). I’m really partial to borage oil due to its extremely high GLA content and therefore wanted to include it at a significant enough concentration (7%). Do you think taking multiple precautions (e.g., adding it at the cool down phase and using an antioxidant such as rosemary) would be enough? I’ve searched and seen other o/w formulas include borage oil in their formulas, although I do not know at what concentration.  I mean … I guess if it’s still too risky, I can cut it out and use it for a future anhydrous formula. My oil phase here would then be dramatically decreased as well, which would be a plus.

And thanks so much for the antioxidant tips! I had worried about using tocopherol for the reason you stated. I’ll look into the other ones you mention. Thanks again!
 

[itsgena]

Hi everybody,

I just received my bachelor’s degree in biology with a minor in chemistry. I have always been into skincare and have just begun making skincare formulas of my own. I’m used to making purely water-based formulas, as that is practically foolproof, but now I’m entering the world of emulsions and am excited to make workable formulas! I would say figuring out the correct quantity of emulsifier is going to be my biggest hurdle, which is why I came here for some extra help! My ultimate goal is to share my formulas with others, just not myself.

I’ve been reading many topics here over the past weeks and I’m humbled by the wealth of knowledge of many users here and I am so grateful for each of your contributions!