Emulsifiers & solubilizers

If you’d like to learn a ton of stuff about making lotions and using these emulsifiers, please check out these e-zines and e-books…

 

Table of contents

Emulsion theory!
Making substitutions with emulsifiers
Non-ionic emulsifiers
Cationic or positively charged emulsifiers – can be used for lotions or conditioners
Anionic or negatively charged emulsifiers
Cold process emulsifiers (could be anionic, could be cationic)
Solubilizers, emulsifiers that help incorporate small amounts of oil into water based products, which tend to be water soluble
The hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) system

 

Emulsion theory!

As a note, I have a lot of information on emulsion theory in the beginners’ section of the site, if you’d like to learn more about the basics of lotion making. 

Back to the basics: Defining our terms for lotions

A slightly more in-depth look at emulsification

Emulsifiers and usage amounts

Updated – Q&A: How do we determine how much emulsifier to use? (And the 25% rule for Polawax)

Liquid crystal emulsifiers (summary)

Liquid crystal emulsifiers? Way more in-depth (2022) – NEW!

Basic lotion making instructions

Shear (mixing with immersion or stick blenders)

Where to start duplicating Lush products?

The soaping effect (when lotions look white on your skin on application)

More on the soaping effect

Q&A: Should we be concerned about not heating and holding cold process emulsifiers? More about this and some stuff about phase inversion temperature, too

The Bancroft rule – the emulsifier determines if it’s an O/W or W/O lotion. It isn’t reliant on the size of the oil phase or whether you pour the oil into water or vice versa. 

 

Making substitutions with emulsifiers

How do we make substitutions with our emulsifiers? Polawax

How do we make substitutions with our emulsifiers? E-wax

How do we make substitutions with our emulsifiers? Ritamulse SCG

How do we make substitutions with our emulsifiers? Incroquat BTMS-50

How do we make substitutions with our emulsifiers? Lotionpro 165

 

Non-ionic emulsifiers (those that have no charge)

CreamMaker® Green Coffee (AE Emulsipure Green Coffee): Coffee arabica seed oil, C12-18 alkyl glucoside, glyceryl stearate, cetearyl alcohol, stearic acidFound in Beyond Emulsifying Wax, part one.

Emulsifying wax NF

Glyceryl stearate (not SE)

Heliosoft™ (INCI: Behenyl Alcohol (and) Glyceryl Behenate (and) Lecithin) – Found in Beyond emulsifying wax, part three: More natural emulsifiers you will love)

Kostol NatureMuls (INCI: Candelilla/Jojoba/Rice Bran Polyglyceryl-3 Esters, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate) – Found in Beyond emulsifying wax, part three: More natural emulsifiers you will love

Lotionpro™ 165 (INCI: Glyceryl Stearate (and) PEG 100 Stearate)

Lush’s main emulsifier (stearic acid & triethanolamine)

Montanov™ 202: Arachidyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Glucoside (C20) – Also found in Beyond emulsifying wax, part three: More natural emulsifiers you will love – NEW on the site!

Montanov™ 68 MB (INCI: Cetearyl alcohol (and) cetearyl glucoside)

Montanov™ L: C14-22 alcohols (and) C12-20 alkyl glucosides -Found in Beyond emulsifying wax, part three: More natural emulsifiers you will love

Natragem EW (INCI: Glyceryl Stearate (and) Polyglyceryl-6 Palmitate/Succinate (and) Cetearyl Alcohol)

Olivem 800 (INCI: Ceteareth-6 Olivate)

Olivem 900 (INCI: Sorbitan olivate)

Olivem 1000 (INCI: Cetearyl olivate (and) Sorbitan olivate)

Phytomulse emulsifiers – Almond, amaranth, chlorella, and coconut

Polawax

Simulgreen 18-2 (INCI: Hydroxystearyl Alcohol and Hydroxystearyl Glucoside)

Simulsol 165 (INCI: Glyceryl Stearate (and) PEG 100 Stearate)

TEGO® Care PS MB (INCI: Methyl glucose sesquistearate) – new for 2024 – part one! and part two with the ingredient chart!

 

Cationic or positively charged emulsifiers – can be used for lotions or conditioners

AminoSensyl™ HC (INCI: Brassica alcohol and Brassicyl Valinate Esylate)

AminoSensyl™ SC (INCI: Brassica alcohol (and) Brassica Valinate Esylate (and) Brassica Glycerides)

Crodazoquat MCC (Behentrimonium Methosulfate (and) Quaternium-87 (and) Cetearyl Alcohol) – conditioner

Emulsense HC (INCI: Brassicyl Isoleucinate Esylate (and) Brassica Alcohol) – naturally compliant conditioner

Incroquat BTMS-50 (INCI: Behentrimonium methosulfate (and) cetyl alcohol (and) butylene glycol) – UPDATED! Click here for more on using Incroquat BTMS-50 with hair care products as a conditioner.

Jeequat® NDCS (INCI: Cetyl alcohol, behentrimonium chloride, cocamidopropyl betaine, sorbitan laurate) – cold emulsifier, natural (aka, ICE Conditioner)

Jeesperse® ICE-T CIS-2 (INCI: PEG-150 distearate (and) Cetearyl Alcohol (and) polyquaternium 37)

Jeesperse® ICE-T CPCS (INCI: Cetearyl alcohol (and) behentrimonium chloride (and) polyquaternium 37) – cold emulsifier (aka ICE Hair Restore)

Rheosol CVH(E) (INCI: Polyquaternium 37 and Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate and PPG-1 Trideceth 6)

Rita BTMS-225 or Incroquat BTMS-25 (INCI: Behentrimonium Methosulfate (and) Cetearyl Alcohol)

Varisoft EQ 65 (INCI: Distearoylethyl dimonium chloride (and) cetearyl alcohol)

 

Anionic or negatively charged emulsifiers

Emulsion SG (INCI: Sodium stearoyl gluatamate) – Found in Beyond Emulsifying Wax, part one.

Glyceryl stearate SE (self-emulsifying version, ECOCERT)

Glyceryl stearate SE (self-emulsifying version, ECOCERT) – longer post

Jeesperse® CPW-CG-Crosspolymer-G-02 or ICE Silicone (INCI: Cetyl alcohol, sodium polyacrylate, polysorbate 80, glyceryl stearate, dimethicone/divinyldimethicone/silsesquioxane crosspolymer)

Jeesperse® CPW-S or ICE Sunflower (INCI: Sunflower wax (and) sodium polyacrylate)

Jeesperse® ICE-T-LB-T-NS (INCI: Cetyl Alcohol (and) Glyceryl Stearate (and) Glycol Stearate (and) Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (and) Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyl Dimethyl Taurate Copolymer)

Lanette N or Crodex A (INCI: Cetearyl Alcohol (and) Sodium Lauryl Sulfate)

Ritamulse SCG (INCI: Glyceryl stearate (and) cetearyl alcohol (and) sodium stearoyl lactylate)

ViscOptima SE (INCI: Sodium polyacrylate, ethylhexyl cocoate, PPG-3 benzyl ether myristate, polysorbate 20) – cold emulsifier

 

Cold process emulsifiers (could be anionic, could be cationic – check with each one to make sure)

Aristoflex AVC (INCI Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer)

Emulthix or RM-2051 (INCI: Sodium Polyacrylate (and) Dimethicone (and) Cyclopentasiloxane (and) Trideceth-6 (and) PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone)

Jeequat® NDCS aka ICE Conditioner (INCI: Cetyl alcohol, behentrimonium chloride, cocamidopropyl betaine, sorbitan laurate)

Jeesperse® ICE-T CPCS aka ICE Hair Restore (INCI: Cetearyl alcohol (and) behentrimonium chloride (and) polyquaternium 37)

Jeesperse® CPW-CG-Crosspolymer-G-02 or ICE Silicone (INCI: Cetyl alcohol, sodium polyacrylate, polysorbate 80, glyceryl stearate, dimethicone/divinyldimethicone/silsesquioxane crosspolymer) – NEW!

Jeesperse® CPW-S or ICE Sunflower (INCI: Sunflower wax (and) sodium polyacrylate) – NEW!

Jeesperse ICE-T CIS-2 (INCI: PEG-150 distearate (and) Cetearyl Alcohol (and) polyquaternium 37)

Jeesperse® ICE-T-LB-T-NS ((INCI: Cetyl Alcohol (and) Glyceryl Stearate (and) Glycol Stearate (and) Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (and) Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyl Dimethyl Taurate Copolymer)

Lotioncrafter Serum SE (INCI: Dimethicone (and) Cyclopentasiloxane (and) Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer (and) Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Dimethicone Crosspolymer)

Natural Emulsifier 146 (INCI: Cyclodextrin, sorbitol, polyglyceryl-3 diisostearate) aka Beauté by Roquette® DS 146

Sepigel 305 (INCI name: Polyacrylamide & C13-14 Isoparaffin & Laureth-7)

SEPILIFE™ NUDE aka GelMaker® NAT (INCI: Sodium acrylate/sodium acryloyldimethyl taurate copolymer, C15-19 alkane, polyglyceryl-6 laurate, polyglycerin-6) – new for 2023!

Sepimax ZEN (INCI: Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6) – synthetic gelling agent, anionic

Sepinov EMT 10 (INCI: Hydroxyethyl Acrylate / Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer) – synthetic gelling agent, anionic

Sepiplus 400 (INCI: Polyacrylate 13 (and) Polyisobutene (and) Polysorbate 20)

Sucragel AOF (INCI: Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil (and) Glycerine (and) Aqua (and) Sucrose Laurate)

Sucragel AOF BIO (INCI: Glycerin, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Sucrose Laurate, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Fruit Water) Found in the e-book, Creating oily gels with Sucragel

Sucragel CF (INCI: Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglycerides, Aqua, Sucrose Laurate) Found in the e-book, Creating oily gels with Sucragel

Sucragel XL (INCI: Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Aqua, Sucrose Laurate, Sucrose Stearate) Found in the e-book, Creating oily gels with Sucragel

ViscOptima SE (INCI: Sodium polyacrylate, ethylhexyl cocoate, PPG-3 benzyl ether myristate, polysorbate 20) – cold emulsifier

Solubilizers, emulsifiers that help incorporate small amounts of oil into water based products, which tend to be water soluble

Solublilizers – some comparisons

Caprylyl/capryl glucoside (CCG) – ECOCERT

Cromollient SCE

Natragem® S140 NP (INCI: Polyglyceryl-4 Laurate/Sebacate (and) Polyglyceryl-6 Caprylate/Caprate (and) Aqua)

PEG-6 caprylic/capric triglycerides

PEG-40 hydrogenated castor oil

Polysorbate 20 and 80

Poly Suga Mulse D9 (INCI: Sorbitan oleate (and) decylglucoside crosspolymer) – NEW, ECOCERT

 

The hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) system

Click here first to see LabRat’s amazing PDF on this topic! 

HLB system – overview

HLB system – introduction to the series

A demonstration (part one)

A demonstration (part two)

Work this one out! 

Don’t fear the math! 

Answers to work this one out!

Let’s get slightly more complicated

Substituting in the oil phase

How do we know the correct HLB value for oils and butters?

Using different emulsifiers and a formula

A body butter formula

Silicones and the HLB system

 

Water-in-oil emulsions! 

Check back as I’m adding information all the time about these types of emulsions! 

Quick post: Emulsion types – oil-in-water (o/w) or water-in-oil (w/o)?

Q&A: Does pouring the water phase into the oil phase create a water-in-oil emulsion?

Glyceryl Oleate – water-in-oil, non-ionic emulsifier and surfactant thickener

Olivem 900 (INCI: Sorbitan olivate)