Members Directory - Chemists Corner

Syl

Member

October 2, 2021 at 1:44 pm in reply to: Oil soluble sweetener (Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate ?)

I use stevia leaves in a coconut oil suspension and it works well. Many manufacturers also use this sweetening method.

Syl

Member

October 2, 2021 at 3:19 am in reply to: Can a TFM of 70%-80% be achieved in a melt and pour soap

Hi Shuchi, stearic acid does make a soap bar harder, but I do not beleive it can give you transparent soap.
How to improve your TMF will be determined by how you can use the least amount of solubiliser to solubilize your soap. Different oils will behave differently because of their fatty acic profile. You will need to find the vegetable oils that are most solubable with the solvents you are using.
According to Catherine Failor https://www.amazon.com/Making-Transparent-Soap-Crafting-Scenting/dp/158017244X you need to use palm, coconut and castor oil only because they are soluble. I am not an expert because when I made glycerin soaps, I found that they melted in the shower too fast. I did not do additional research. I make cold process soap on a regular basis for my customers in the US. I am sure that if you do google or youtube searches on formulating melt and pour soaps you will additional information.

Syl

Member

October 2, 2021 at 12:02 am in reply to: Can a TFM of 70%-80% be achieved in a melt and pour soap

Oops, I forgot about lye safety; working with NaOH (Lye) requires safety gear, It can be intimidating, but if you wear safety equipment and are careful, it is ok.
This is a basic Hot process soap video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scokYOkLcQo

Syl

Member

October 1, 2021 at 11:07 pm in reply to: Can a TFM of 70%-80% be achieved in a melt and pour soap

You should consider making your own, it is not difficult if you have access to the ingredients. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nw4CBN_RC0
This youtube video includes a recipe. If you want to use different oils use the soap calculator software below to calculate the amount of NaOH you need, be sure to set your superfat (extra fat) at a low percentage to prevent cloudiness, but high enough to have an error margin. You may also want to reduce your water content and model according to the video recipe.
http://soapcalc.net/calc/soapcalcwp.asp
I do not believe there is a way to improve your melt and pour soap significantly other than finding another supplier or controlling the quality yourself.
Melt and Pour soap or (glycerin soap) is basically regular soap that has been solubilized with propylene glycol, sugar, and glycerin.
It will take a lot of experimentations, errors, and research, but it might be gratifying.

Syl

Member

October 1, 2021 at 9:18 pm in reply to: Volume Shampoo

@Perry Can Guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride be considered film-forming? I know it is also a light conditioner.
Can increasing the PH from 5 to 6 augment the perception of volume?
I noticed a difference when changing the PH, but maybe I am just like the people in your blind study! :-)

Syl

Member

October 1, 2021 at 3:38 pm in reply to: Volume Shampoo

Thank you Ketchito

Syl

Member

September 30, 2021 at 7:56 am in reply to: What can be the cause of scalp irritation one or two days after washing hair with this shampoo?

Rose Fragrance is likely, phenoxyethanol, Caps. It can be something you have been using for a while without problems. Good luck

Syl

Member

September 29, 2021 at 4:20 pm in reply to: What can be the cause of scalp irritation one or two days after washing hair with this shampoo?

You probably have an allergy to one of the ingredients (contact dermatitis). https://www.webmd.com/allergies/chemical-allergies
According to WebMD, those reactions appear 24-48 hrs after application.

Syl

Member

September 28, 2021 at 9:58 pm in reply to: Gelling agents in emulsions: Add before or after emulsification? Or even after cooldown?

It is usually added to the water phase before emulsification.

Syl

Member

September 28, 2021 at 4:20 pm in reply to: “Soapy” surfactant in powder form

If you are located in the US you can find it at https://www.ingredientstodiefor.com/item/CocoFoam_Potassium_Cocoate_/992?category=35

Syl

Member

September 24, 2021 at 11:27 pm in reply to: Hello! Advice on how to make my shampoo bar milder

@Cafe33, I use colloidal oatmeal in some of my shampoo bars at .6%, and my bars do not snap, but their fat and stearic acid contents are higher than what you are suggesting. I also noticed that bars with a high amount of SCS tend to be sticky. I suspect Beabatre’s formula contains more fatty alcohol to reduce the stickiness.

Syl

Member

September 24, 2021 at 7:59 pm in reply to: Hello! Advice on how to make my shampoo bar milder

I would also reduce cetyl and stearic by 2.5% and increase SCI by 5% since your bar is milder, you may need more detergent.

Syl

Member

September 24, 2021 at 4:32 pm in reply to: Hello! Advice on how to make my shampoo bar milder

Increase your SCI and decrease your SCS, SCI is milder than SCS.

Syl

Member

September 1, 2021 at 11:19 pm in reply to: Sustainable Mica versus Iron Oxide

Than you

Syl

Member

August 31, 2021 at 7:53 pm in reply to: Sustainable Mica versus Iron Oxide

It is mined ethically, with no child labor.

Syl

Member

August 31, 2021 at 12:26 am in reply to: Get your formulation questions answered live

You can use a fatty alcohol like cetyl alcohol. You might also want to include a humectant like glycerin.

Syl

Member

August 30, 2021 at 12:01 pm in reply to: need help for sanitizer hydroalcohlic gel formula please

Ethanol has to be at 60-65%. I made some for myself using this Sepimax Zen formulation and Everclear 190 proof.
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0026/8317/5001/files/SEPPIC_Hand_Sanitizer_Info.pdf?v=1585771504
The Sepimax Zen has a velvety feel, the glycerin made it a bit sticky, but I am happy with this formulation. With all the recalls of hand sanitizers early in the pandemic, I felt safer making my own.

Syl

Member

August 29, 2021 at 4:21 pm in reply to: Where to buy Polyquaternium 10 Polyquaternium 11 Polyquaternium-44

Polyquaternium-10 is available at https://www.makingcosmetics.com

Syl

Member

August 28, 2021 at 10:06 pm in reply to: Thermocel Hair Repair

You can read the ingredients if you magnify this picture.
https://www.amazon.com/THERMOCELL-RENEW-APPLE-STEM-CELLS/dp/B085W6M5JM
I read alcohol denat 45%, cetyl alcohol, cetrimonium chloride, isopropyl alcohol, aqua, parfum, propylene glycol, fruit cell culture extract, xanthan gum, glycerine, lecithin, phenoxyethanol, panthenol, PPG-10 glucose methyl ether, pyridoxine HCL, Yellow 5…Blue…..
I suspect PPG-10 glucose methyl ether is the smoothing ingredient

Syl

Member

August 28, 2021 at 4:02 pm in reply to: PLEASE HELP - Gritty Conditioner

According to MakingCosmetics, Behentrimonium Chloride needs 85c to melt.

https://www.makingcosmetics.com/Behentrimonium_p_81.html

I am not sure it is causing your problem because I never used cetrimonium chloride. I always use Behentrimonium C in combination with another emulsifier.

Syl

Member

August 27, 2021 at 10:27 pm in reply to: How to add SLES in a solid product (bar soap, etc)

Sorry, I confused them. Unfortunately, the word sulfate is not well received here. I might try coco-sulfate as a secondary surfactant and see the response.

Syl

Member

August 27, 2021 at 8:21 pm in reply to: How do formulators keep their secret if they have to disclose all ingredients

It is understanding. I am careful not to make any claims about any products. Thank you! You made me realize that I am using an unapproved natural color. Alkanet root is approved in Canada for food coloring and for use in cosmetics, but not by the FDA. Personally, I would not ingest it, but it is probably safe as a cosmetic colorant. I will do some research to find a replacement.

Syl

Member

August 27, 2021 at 6:48 pm in reply to: How to add SLES in a solid product (bar soap, etc)

In Northern California, SLS is demonized because it is ethoxylated, not from renewable sources, and harsh. I have to use only plant-derived surfactants that are mild. People are very environmentally conscious, they want sulfate-free mild cleansers. Pricing is a secondary concern.

Syl

Member

August 27, 2021 at 6:37 pm in reply to: To everyone who makes this forum what it is, thank you!

I just recently joined, and I am already very grateful too. I learned a lot more than expected just by reading older posts.

Syl

Member

August 27, 2021 at 6:10 pm in reply to: How do formulators keep their secret if they have to disclose all ingredients

Thank you, Perry, for providing a link to the FDA list. You are correct, the choices are very limited. Are soaps covered by the same regulation? Why is the list so limited is there a reason? Also, why are some food colorants like FD&C Blue No. 2 approved for food, but not for cosmetics?

Syl

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