[ChemistGuy]

Good luck

• This reply was modified 1 month, 1 week ago by  ChemistGuy.

[ChemistGuy]

You need to do some things:

What are you using to suspend pigments/ZnO?

Consider premixing the hydrophilic surface treated pigments into a humectant and adding it to the already mixed water/preservative/thickener.

For the ZnO dispersion, mix it along with any other emollient you already have, after you realize ZnO dispersion is looking good and there’s nothing in the bottom, start adding any wax/emulsifier to it.

In terms of emulsifiers, try to see if Gattefosse/Koster Keunen/Brenntag has any good emulsifiers you can use.

[ChemistGuy]

Ok I can help a bit here.

I personally like working more with Zinc Stearate because of the way it feels, depending on the amount you use it might give you a grainy feel in the formulation but as long as you keep it under 5% you should be fine.

Magnesium Stearate feels a bit rough in my opinion, so I don’t really like it, and since you are working on powder eyeshadows, that’s a nope for your eyelids.

Follow your gut, keep the formulations for powder eyeshadows at 20-25% pigments, about 5% dry binder, q.s in the wet binder since it depends whether you have surface treatments or not, make sure to have some sensory powders (about 5% max of Lauroyl Lysine or Boron Nitride or Silica)and the rest in fillers (Sericite/Mica)

Also, make sure you sieve your prototype before you press it.

[ChemistGuy]

Have you given Zinc Stearate or Magnesium Stearate a shot?

Jeechem OSS (better to help with drop tests and avoid glazing, but doesn’t feel as well, so be ready to use some nice sensory powders or a 2nd wet binder)

I’ve used it and it’s great.

[ChemistGuy]

Whenever you use Euxyl PE 9010, make sure to see how much water you are actually using, let’s say you use 50g of water, the amount of PE 9010 you will need should be about 0.5g. It has always worked for me while I’ve used it along with Propanediol/Glyceryn and even Butylene/Propylene Glycol. Good luck.

[ChemistGuy]

The reason is not gelling is because it’s not dispersing properly, meaning it’s not getting together with the solvents, so increase the rate of speed to let it disperse properly.

[ChemistGuy]

Sorry, New York, New Jersey and Connecticut✌🏼

[ChemistGuy]

Nah he was probably making a joke due to its INCI

[ChemistGuy]

How about this: Simple is better, get rid of all those emulsifiers and start over using one of the ones from Gattefosse (Emulium Kappa or Emulium Dolcea) at 5%. They are a blend of whatever you are already using. Keep trying.

[ChemistGuy]

In foundations I usually use Glycerin at 3% and Propanediol at 2%. Depends on what endpoint do you wanna reach

[ChemistGuy]

I was just working with Covasilic 15 today and I can say that the supplier from China sounds shady. It’s true that this hydrophobic fumed version of silica goes everywhere and might even be dangerous to your lungs, it shouldn’t be that fluffy, good luck.

[ChemistGuy]

In my opinion, the best silicone that has worked for me when cleaning/preparing the lipstick mould is Dimethicone 10cSt

[ChemistGuy]

If that’s what’s happening to you, then you need to adjust the oil/wax ratio in your formulation. The leaking in the tube means you either overfilled it or your formula is not stable, which if depending on your case (liquid lipstick must be an emulsion so check your emulsifier amount) if it’s not an emulsion then check your waxes and oil ratio. Also thickening up the formulation might help too

[ChemistGuy]

You can try to use Dermofeel Viscolid from Evonik, I just used it today and definitely helped me suspend the pigments (reason that you use Bentone right?) Lecithin can also work, Hydrophobic Fumed Silica from Sensient can also help. Look up suspending agents in Prospector…