Adding Exfoliating Ingredients to Liquid Soap: Stability Concerns

Recommendations for Exfoliating Ingredients in Liquid Soap

For making liquid soap and wanting to add exfoliating ingredients, while considering stability in a liquid base over time, there are several interesting options depending on the type of exfoliation desired (chemical or physical) and the stability of the ingredient in the liquid soap formula.

Chemical/Enzyme Exfoliants with Stability in Liquid Bases

These ingredients are typically water-soluble and stable in water-based formulas, making them suitable for mixing into liquid soap:

• Malt-Exfo™ (Maltobionic acid, Polyhydroxy acid): This is a PHA, which is gentler than AHA, providing mild exfoliation. It is highly water-soluble and stable at room temperature, making it suitable for liquid soap formulas requiring gentle chemical exfoliation. The recommended usage rate is 1-5%.
• Bio-S Protease™ (Natural Enzymes For Exfoliation, Stabilized): A natural enzyme in liquid form that is water-soluble and highly stabilized. It helps break down the protein bonds holding dead skin cells together, facilitating their removal. This is another option for enzyme-based exfoliation. The recommended usage rate is 0.1-5%.

Both of these ingredients offer good stability in water-based formulas and at room temperature, making them suitable for liquid soap formulas that are not refrigerated.

• FruitPeel™ exfoliates cells with fruit: Extracts from fruit peels that provide gentle exfoliation. It is a liquid that dissolves in water. The recommended usage rate is 1-5%. However, long-term storage is recommended in the refrigerator (6-8 degrees Celsius), which might need consideration if the liquid soap is not stored under temperature-controlled conditions.

Physical Exfoliants (Scrub)

This group consists of various scrubbing powders:

• Sugarcane Scrub (80-100 Mesh): Sugarcane powder for scrubbing, helping to remove old skin cells. It is a powder that does not dissolve in water but can be dispersed in viscous bases. The usage rate is 1-15%. When used in liquid soap, you may need to consider using a relatively thick soap base to help suspend the scrub particles and prevent settling. Although the powder is sterilized, incorporating it into a water-based formula still requires attention to preventing microbial growth.

Summary:

If you are looking for exfoliating ingredients that are stable in liquid soap stored at room temperature, Malt-Exfo™ and Bio-S Protease™ are interesting options as they are water-soluble and offer good stability. Sugarcane Scrub is an option for physical exfoliation, but you need to consider the ability of your liquid soap base to suspend the particles.