[Transformize]

I already have sodium phytate in my cart, towards my next order. I just didn’t know if it was the disodium EDTA with the glyceryl stearate. I’ve also thought about sodium citrate.

[Transformize]

What’s the best triethanolamine:stearic acid ratio, to make body lotion, and skin safety?
I’ve seen

triethanolamine:stearic acid

1:15

1:7.5

1:6

[Transformize]

I also didn’t want it to thin the lotion.

[Transformize]

chemicalmatt,
I’d have changed everything to non-ionic, except carbomer and a few drops of triethanolamine, if non-ionic is a good enough reference to the polarity charge. Thanks.

[Transformize]

Reading about the Ceteareth-25, it mentions that it stabilizes. Changing the formula to Ceteareth-25, and another emulsifier, as I’m liking the feeling of gel, would I be able to eliminate the carbomer?

[Transformize]

1- Would Glycol Stearate IP (Glycol stearate, stearamide AMP) be a sufficient emulsifier to make a liquid lotion?

2- If so, would adding the Glyceryl Stearate SE keep it liquified, so I can adjust other ingredients to make it the pourable thickness that I want. I’ll be using refined shea butter, or shea nut oil, and cetyl alcohol.

Since I tried the lotion (ingredients in first post) and liked the slickness, I was wanting to replace the lotionpro 165 (50% glyceryl stearate, 50% peg-100 stearate) and BTMS-50 (50% Behentrimonium Methosulfate, 45% Cetyl Alcohol, 5% Butylene Glycol).

Since I got the information about the carbomer, it may fix my emulsion stability when re-formulating this. I’m currently having two problems. Problem 1- The emulsion doesn’t separate, but over time the thickness turns more like water. Problem 2- As the lotion gets used, the Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride makes the lotion stick to the sides of the bottle. This just makes the appearance look gross.

My current liquid cream lotion ingredients are:

water

glycerin

C12-15 alkyl benzoate (will be changing to caprylic/capric triglyceride)

sorbitol

panthenol

colloidal oats

allantoin

fragrance

Euxyl PE 9010 (1%)

Euxyl K 900 (1%)

disodium EDTA (0.2%)

guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride (0.15%)

LotionPro 165 (glyceryl stearate, peg-100 stearate)

BTMS-50 (behentrimonium methosulfate, cetyl alcohol, butylene glycol)

menthol

[Transformize]

I’d like to thank both of you for your responses.

gordof, thanks for the detailed breakdown, and bringing to my attention not to mix these types of emulsifiers.

perry44, you are correct, there’s a lot of incorrect information on the internet. Thank you for your guidance, and mentioning carbomer.

[Transformize]

Asking chatGPT, it looks like glyceryl stearate SE is the only emulsifier.

Glyceryl stearate SE and glycol stearate IP are two different chemical compounds that are commonly used in cosmetics and personal care products as emulsifiers, thickeners, and stabilizers. They serve similar functions but are distinct in their chemical composition and properties.

1. Glyceryl Stearate SE:

   • Glyceryl stearate SE stands for Glyceryl Stearate Self-Emulsifying. It is an ester formed from glycerin and stearic acid, which are both naturally occurring substances.
   • Glyceryl stearate SE is often used in cosmetic formulations to help mix oil and water-based ingredients. It is known as a self-emulsifying emulsifier, meaning it can create stable emulsions (mixtures of oil and water) without the need for additional emulsifying agents.
   • This ingredient is commonly found in creams, lotions, and other skincare products where a smooth, stable texture is desired.

2. Glycol Stearate IP:

   • Glycol stearate IP stands for Isopropyl Palmitate, and it is not the same as glyceryl stearate SE. It is an ester derived from isopropyl alcohol and palmitic acid.
   • Glycol stearate IP is primarily used in cosmetics and personal care products as a thickening agent, emollient, and moisturizer. It can help improve the texture and feel of skincare products.
   • Unlike glyceryl stearate SE, glycol stearate IP is not typically used as an emulsifier to mix oil and water phases but is instead used to add richness and thickness to the product.

In summary, the key differences between glyceryl stearate SE and glycol stearate IP are:

1. Chemical Composition: Glyceryl stearate SE is derived from glycerin and stearic acid, while glycol stearate IP is derived from isopropyl alcohol and palmitic acid.

2. Function: Glyceryl stearate SE is primarily used as a self-emulsifying emulsifier, helping to combine oil and water phases in cosmetic formulations. Glycol stearate IP is mainly used as a thickening agent and emollient.

3. Emulsification: Glyceryl stearate SE can create stable emulsions on its own, whereas glycol stearate IP is not typically used for this purpose.

Both ingredients have their own unique roles in cosmetic formulations, and their selection depends on the specific properties and functions desired for a given product.

[Transformize]

My oil phase is:
ceteareth-25, glyceryl stearate, caprylic/capric triglyceride, shea butter, cetyl alcohol, stearic acid (not using as triethanolamine stearate). The triethanolamine is just for the carbomer pH. I’ll look into the low HLB alcohol, like you had mentioned.

Thank you for your help.

[Transformize]

“GS SE is weak when used alone, but it also gives a very pleasant emulsions.”
Thanks for mentioning this.

[Transformize]

I would like to remove the triethanolamine, as I won’t be using the stearic acid. For a pourable product, stearic acids adds too much thickness. The shea butter, or shea nut oil’s percent is going to have to be very low. When using the emulsifier, which thickens (BTMS-50), 1% of shea nut oil made the lotion thick and not pourable.

[Transformize]

I’ve attached a pic, why I’m using two preservatives at the 1%. Looking at Euxyl K 940, this gives the guidance to mix both Euxyl PE 9010 and Euxyl K 900, and at 1% each both phenoxyethanol and benzyl alcohol are under their maximum usage rates. I could drop both preservatives down to 0.75%. This would be closer numbers to Euxyl K 940.