Emulsifiers for Skin Care Applications

Special Forms of Application
Sprayable Emulsions
Sprayable emulsions play a role of significant importance in many segments of the cosmetic market (e.g. Sun Care, After Sun, Skin
Care). A prerequisite in formulating sprayable emulsions are stable O/W lotions with a low viscosity. Such low viscous O/W
emulsions can be also used as a basis for impregnating liquids for wet wipes.
O/W sprayable lotions based on the emulsifier/consistency enhancer blend TEGINACID ® H can be produced by the classical hot
process with standard homogenization equipment. Their resulting viscosity is very low (100 – 500 mPas)*. Due to the fine droplet
size, the emulsions show a sufficient long-term stability even with these low viscosities.
The combination of ABIL ® Care 85 with TEGINACID ® H provides sprayable lotions (viscosity approx. 1500 mPas)* with an improved
skin feel compared to emulsions which are only based on ethoxylated emulsifiers (velvety-silky, smoothing instead of watery with
a dull after feel).
Sprayable emulsions based on a combination of ABIL ® Care 85 and a hydrophilic co-emulsifier such as TEGO ® SMO 80 V can be
obtained by cold processing. These consistency enhancer-free formulations can be stabilized by using polymeric thickeners (e.g.
TEGO ® Carbomers). The viscosity for such sprayable lotions has to be between 1000 and 2000 mPas* in order to have a good
long-term stability. A viscosity of 2000 mPas or even higher is not a problem for the spray heads that are available today.
PEG-free, sprayable emulsions on basis of AXOL ® C 62 can be produced by hot processing via a concentrated emulsion. The emulsion
viscosity can vary between 100 and 2000 mPas*.
Another possibility to obtain sprayable lotions based on a PEG-free emulsifier is the use of TEGO ® Care CG 90. Combi ning
TEGO ® Care CG 90 with potassium stearate as co-emulsifier in a hot process allows the formulation of stable sprayable lotions
with a viscosity between 1000 and 2000 mPas*.
Stable O/W sprayable lotions can be prepared with TEGO ® Care LTP in a cold process at room temperature using a homogenizer.
TEGO ® Care LTP should be combined with polymeric stabilizers/thickeners in order to adjust the viscosity and the stability profile
of the PEG-free emulsions. For the preparation of sprayable emulsions a combination of TEGO ® Carbomer 141 (INCI: Carbomer)
and TEGO ® Carbomer 341 ER (INCI: Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylates Crosspolymer) proved to be most effective. The viscosity
of the final emulsion should be approx. 2000 mPas.
* Brookfield RVT, Spindle 4, 10 rpm.
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