[jemolian]

Have you patch tested the other ingredients to see if they are the cause? 

My skin is sensitive to some ingredients like some glycols and it seems i’m allergic to topical niacinamide since it gives me welts. I’ve no issues to those polymeric emulsifiers that you have tested with. 

[jemolian]

Looking at the percentage of the thickeners it looks more like a cream, so you might want to work on that. Would also recommend a humectant if required. 

Though you might want to define what you mean by “professional” in terms of the texture, skin feel, look of the end product you want. 

[jemolian]

It depends on the ingredients of the blend. You might want to check the MSDS / SDS if it is possible to be stored at that temperature. 

[jemolian]

Normally the procedure would be: 

1. Add the surfactants into the water, stir at a slow speed or RPM
2. Slurry the Xanthan in Glycerin. Add the slurry into the surfactant/water
3. Solubilize your lipid phase. Add the solubilized lipid into surfactant/water
4. Add preservative
5. Adjust pH

You are lacking the solubilizer for the shea and fragrance. If not you can use a PEG version of the Shea. 

The procedure would vary depending on your ingredients. 

[jemolian]

That would depend on the intended pH of the formula. If you are using lactic acid only as a pH buffer, that would be possible. If you are making an AHA serum with lactic acid as the main active, it won’t go with at least the Niacianmide, not sure about the other two. 

[jemolian]

“Peeling” as in it made your skin peel or did it “pill” as in ball up? 

[jemolian]

You can use most non-bodying or non-waxy emulsifiers, such as the 165 type or Cetearyl Glucoside or those that you have mentioned. Though just note the maximum lipid load and if they are able to be stable on their own or require a combination.

If you don’t want to use a normal emulsifier, you can choose to use the lubrizol pemulen series like TR-1 / TR-2 / EZ-4U. They would be able to suspend your lipids at a low percentage. 

[jemolian]

I’m wondering how effective the Ceramides by CLR would be.

In terms of comparing the ingredients: 

SK-Influx: 6% lipids

• 1.5% Ceramide complex
  (Ceramides I, III, IIIB, VI) 
• 0.5% Cholesterol 
• 3.5% Free fatty acid 
• 0.5% Phytosphingosine

Ceramides by CLR: 2% lipids

• Phospholipids
• Sphingolipids (approx 0.2%) (The plant derived lipid mixture consists of at least 10 % sphingolipids (ceramides, glycoceramides = cerebrosides).)

—

Seems that Sphingolipids from the Ceramides by CLR would include the whole group of lipids which will be unspecific, verse the specific blend of SK-Influx.

I’m wondering where the free fatty acids came from though. 

[jemolian]

Perhaps look into your processing method. Use low shear at a slower speed for dispersing and mixing instead of your hand blender. Perhaps use a whisk. 

[jemolian]

It depends on what you mean by “poor absorption”. Normally you just need to adjust the skin feel. Perhaps you can reduce the percentage of fatty alcohols. 

@Pattsi i’d assume U20 is Ultrez 20. 

[jemolian]

If you have watched the IPCS video, looking at your formula:

You lack a main emulsifier. You can see if there’s any that are certified organic but it’s likely that you will find something that is ecocert or cosmos, which are normally natural derived. Using too much GMS / Glyceryl stearate can lead to the microfoaming, especially with the xanthan gum. 

Would recommend reevaluating you preservative to make it broad spectrum as well. 

[jemolian]

It goes back to the emulsification system. 

So are you asking if statistically if there are more W/O emulsifiers that enables formulation with a smaller water phase compared to oil phase, verse larger water phase compared to oil phase? 

Because not forgetting, even if there are more emulsifiers that of either one, it’s up to a formulator to choose which one they want to use and it can skewed towards one end because of certain reasons, so there are 2 factors to your thought.  

[jemolian]

For the buffer, you can see if the info here helps

• https://www.researchgate.net/publication/264091890_Stability_of_urea_in_solution_and_pharmaceutical_preparations
• https://patents.google.com/patent/US4672078A/en
• https://pdf4pro.com/view/urea-from-the-chemist-s-point-of-view-247112.html

[jemolian]

Normally it’s the thickeners like Aristoflex or Sodium Carbomer pilling because of the lipids. That happens when i use a lipid that is too oily like Squalane. Though i’ve not used Dimethicone in a long time, i can’t say for sure if that also affects it, but i’d also guess that both Dimethicone & Polymethylsilsesquioxane affects it to a certain extent. 

Normally Aristoflex or Sodium Carbomer don’t really pill in my formulations without “conflicting” ingredients. 

[jemolian]

Is it possible to realize what kind of an emulsion it is looking at the skin care formula? I mean if there are specific emulsifiers or combination of ingredients that work only for w/o emulsions?

While i’m not a chemist, normally i look at the emulsifier used and look into what kind they are. That’s how i normally determine that they would be. Looking at the related rheology modifiers like the water based or oil based thickeners would also give you a clue since it can be restrictive for w/o emulsions. 

 Another question is - is it still true that w/o still tend to contain less of water (27 to 75%) as opposed to o/w (52 to 80%) or recently the ratio has developed to be the same 60-80%?

I believe it would depend on the emulsifier. For example, based on the specs sheet of ABIL® EM 90 (Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone), the optimal oil phase is about 20% to 35% depending on whether lotion or cream. 

[jemolian]

The minimum requirements to make an oil cleanser is normally just lipid + emulsifier. The emulsifier just needs to be able to be soluble in the lipid. 

If you are making a balm, then a lipid suitable thickener. 

You can add additives like actives, different lipids for sensory modification or other purposes. For preservatives, if you are having an open jar container, perhaps it would be recommended with an antioxidant if applicable based on the lipids chosen. 

[jemolian]

Add the glycerin to the heated water phase would do. 

For fatty alcohols, wait for about 24 to 48 hours to gauge the final viscosity as it will thicken up over some time.  

[jemolian]

It might be that you TEGO care 165 isn’t sufficient, or that you have over homogenized the lotion. 

For a basic lotion, you can try something like this:

• TEGO care 165 3%
• Cetearyl alcohol 2 to 3%
• Lipid 5%
• Glycerin 3%
• Preservative as required
• pH adjuster as required

[jemolian]

@Graillotion lotioncrafter has quite some of the crosspolyers, though in particular maybe this https://lotioncrafter.com/collections/silicones-alternatives/products/optiblur-elastomer

[jemolian]

Without the formula, i’d assume it’s a common lack of humectant(s), or that the product has dried due to the low humidity, or a combination of both since you mentioned crust around the tube cap. 

[jemolian]

Just wondering, must it be 5% Salicylic acid? Because it’s can be very difficult to solubilize. 

[jemolian]

Ectoin is quite expensive but what is your intended use for it because there are other osmolytes? Looking at the product brochure, it looks more like a skin protectant type of ingredient to me. 

If you are looking for others, perhaps Glycoin, or even cheaper ones like Trehalose, Betaine, would also be fine. 

[jemolian]

What batch size did you make? Because sometimes you might have introduced too much air into the batch with the batch not suitable for your homogenizing tool. 

[jemolian]

You can probably just choose your own combination of materials to make your own liquid crystal emulsifier combination, however you probably also need to check to ensure that they form the maltese cross under the microscope. 

It’s just convenient to use a ready combo that has tested with specs and a skin feel profile than making your own in someway. Personally i won’t say that it’s scamy like selling soapy water. 

Ref https://knowledge.ulprospector.com/4712/pcc-lamellar-gel-network-technology-a-primer/

[jemolian]

Herbal extracts will give you the normal brown color, perhaps use a hydrosol of that herb, or use the actual constituent in that herb that is providing that effect you are looking for.