Perry44
Forum Replies Created
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It depends on the claims you want to make and environmental regulations. In California, for example, I think you are compelled to include some water in a product like that. I don’t know all the VOC regulations there but if I recall you likely can’t have more than 55% VOC so water is required. In an ideal world, the Alcohol alone formula would deliver the fragrance and evaporate off the most quickly without negatively impacting hair.
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It’s hard to say without knowing all the ingredients. I’d suggest you at least list those.
But there are a couple of possible explanations. First, if the balm experienced melting and then reforming during shipment, it’s possible that the top layer became enriched with beeswax, resulting in a harder texture. Make sure to mix the balm thoroughly during production and maybe instruct the customer to check the balm consistency deeper into the container. Another thing is that it could have cooled too quickly. If this happened and the wax and oils crystallized at different rates, this might result in a firmer texture. You could see if either of these is the case by doing a freeze/thaw stability test. -
ULProspector is my default choice but I use knowde and specialchem
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I see no acid in there. What is the pH? Those organic acid don’t work as preservatives above around a pH of 5.0
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You probably can’t. It might help to know what ingredients are in your whole formula
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My guess is that your preservative system is not good. Sodium anisate/dosium levulinate is not a proper preservative. At best it is a preservative “booster”. That you passed previous challenge tests means you were lucky or your testing wasn’t suitably challenging. Almost any material can have contamination, not just sodium hyaluronate. I’d recommend putting in a proper preservative.
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It depends on the formula, fragrance, other ingredients, and the cost you are willing to have. More water means it takes longer to dry. More alcohol means it will cost more and may be in violation of VOC regulations.
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Mostly, that is just too much acid to be putting on a person’s face! Skin irritation could be a big issue. Also, Lactic acid works best below a pH of 4.0 whereas Azelaic acid works best at a pH of 4.9. So, adjusting the pH to a mid-point would just make both ingredients less effective.
I wouldn’t recommend doing this.
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This is a water-in-oil (w/o) emulsifier, which helps to mix oils and water in the formulation. It enhances the product’s spreadability and user experience by making the oil more comfortable to apply and less heavy or greasy on the skin. It also makes it easier to remove when you are washing your skin later.
As far as replacements go, you might try Sorbitan Oleate.
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The discoloration and inactivity of hair removal creams could be due to a variety of reasons such as oxidation, degradation of active ingredients, microbial contamination, or improper storage conditions. Though pH and texture might remain unchanged, other properties of the formula can shift over time. It’s important to thoroughly investigate to pinpoint the exact cause and formulate a solution.
To fix it you first need to figure out what is the exact cause. Stability testing or a knockout experiment could help. If oxidation is the issue, incorporating antioxidants into your formula could help. If degradation of the active ingredient is causing the problem, then adjusting its concentration or stabilizing it with appropriate compounds could be a potential solution.
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The issue you’re experiencing with cracking or crystallization might be related to the cooling process after your product is melted and combined, or it could be an issue with the formulation of the ingredients themselves.
Here are some suggestions to prevent cracks and crystallization:
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Cooling Process: After melting and combining your ingredients, the rate at which they cool can affect the final texture of your product. Rapid cooling can sometimes cause a product to crack or become grainy. To prevent this, try allowing your product to cool slowly at room temperature.
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Beeswax and other ingredients: The issue might be related to the composition of the beeswax you’re using. Not all beeswax is created equal, and impurities in the wax could potentially be causing issues. You could try sourcing your beeswax from a different supplier or use refined beeswax to see if it makes a difference.
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Shea Butter or Cocoa Butter: Adding a butter like shea or cocoa could potentially help improve the texture of your product and prevent cracking. Butters are often used in balms and salves to give them a smooth, creamy texture.
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Experiment with ratios: If none of the above solutions work, you might need to experiment with the ratios of your ingredients. Beeswax can sometimes cause a product to become hard and crack, particularly if it’s used in high amounts. Try reducing the amount of beeswax in your formulation to see if it helps.
Remember, creating the perfect formulation often requires a lot of trial and error. It might take several iterations before you find the perfect blend of ingredients for your product.
Finally, make sure you are storing your product in a cool, dry place, as heat and moisture can affect its texture and stability.
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Is there a scientifically proven ideal pH of the skin in order for it to most effectively accept products such as moisturizers and serums?
No.
There are lots of reasons but mainly
1. We don’t know what it means to be “most effective.”
2. Everyone’s skin is genetically different.
3. Everyone has a different microbiome which may or may not have an impact on product performance
Also, skin itself is a solid and has no pH. What people mean when they say skin pH is the pH of the solution made by scraping off the stuff on top of skin and mixing it in water.
For the most part, discussion of pH when it comes to skincare is just science washing. It’s meant to dazzle consumers but has very little impact on product performance.
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I’d guess it would be unlikely to succeed. There is not enough salt in the acid form at pH 5. Why not go lower than that?
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What formula are you asking about?
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Not that I’ve ever seen. What would you expect from such a calculator? What would the input/output be?
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You should list your ingredients if you want an answer
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To get answers to questions like these you’ll need to list all the ingredients in your formula. There are no single ingredients that can fix the problems you listed. It’s a formulation issue.
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Yeah, evaporation happened!
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Agreed. It is standard practice (or at least should be) to do a microbial check on pretty much every ingredient you use.
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Testing AI. Good eye
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I fixed it.
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I agree academic background doesn’t matter much in terms of being able to successfully create formulas. However, where it matters a whole lot is when you’re trying to get a job. Being a great formulator without a degree won’t help you getting a job at P&G, L’Oreal, Unilever, or most any other big company in the cosmetic industry.
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Which active ingredient?
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Are you referring to this discussion? https://chemistscorner.com/cosmeticsciencetalk/discussion/natrosol-hec-not-working-well/
I’m not sure anyone suggested weird, expensive stuff. But of course whenever you have a thickening issue, “let it sit for awhile” is pretty standard advice. We assume here that you already tried that.
chemistscorner.com
Natrosol/HEC not working well - Chemists Corner
I am trying to thicken a body wash with HEC and it is not forming a gel. It goes from white powder to clear grainy…
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What software was it?
I personally think these AI formulators are a long ways from having a big impact on the job of a cosmetic chemist. For a few reasons
- There isn’t enough data for them to collect.
- Systems are too complicated for a tool like this to be really accurate.
- There is no simple way to determine if something is stable or not.
- You still need a chemist/technician to actually make & test the formula.
I don’t see how the AI really adds much to what a chemist with a book of starting formulas can already do.