Alternatives for Hydroxyethylcellulose in Aloe Vera Gel

Regarding your question about Hydroxyethylcellulose (HEC) being out of stock and asking for alternatives for an after-sun aloe vera gel, as the staff mentioned, Xanthan Gum is indeed a suitable alternative.

Recommended Gelling Agent Alternatives

• Xanthan Gum: This is a natural gum that works well as a thickener and gelling agent in water-based formulas. It can create a clear gel texture. There are different types available, including those designed for clear gels and smooth textures.
• Aristoflex AVC: Another effective synthetic polymer gelling agent that is easy to use. It can create clear gels and also has some emulsifying properties, allowing it to stabilize formulas containing a small amount of oil.
• Sepimax Zen: This is a versatile polymer that can thicken water-based formulas and is known for its high tolerance to salts and varying pH levels, making it quite stable in different formulations.

Recommended Formula Options for After-Sun Aloe Vera Gel

You have a couple of approaches to making an after-sun aloe vera gel:

1. Making from Scratch using Aloe Vera Extract and a Gelling Agent:
   This method gives you full control over the ingredients.

   • Ingredients:

     • Water (Purified Water or Distilled Water): up to 100%
     • Gelling Agent (e.g., Xanthan Gum or Aristoflex AVC): 0.1 - 2% (adjust based on desired thickness)
     • Aloe Vera Extract (e.g., 10:1 concentration): 3 - 10% (or more, depending on desired potency)
     • Soothing Ingredients (Optional, e.g., Allantoin, Vitamin B5): 0.1 - 1%
     • Cooling Ingredients (Optional, e.g., Menthol Lactate - use very low concentration): 0.1 - 0.5%
     • Preservative: 0.5 - 1% (essential for water-based products)

   • Mixing Steps (General for Xanthan Gum or Aristoflex AVC):

     • Disperse the gelling agent in the water phase. For Xanthan Gum, you might disperse it in a small amount of glycerin or oil first if your formula contains them, then add to water and stir well until a gel forms. For Aristoflex AVC, sprinkle it into the water and stir until thickened.
     • Once the gel base is formed and uniform, add the Aloe Vera Extract, soothing ingredients, cooling ingredients, and preservative.
     • Stir gently until all ingredients are evenly distributed.

2. Using a Pre-made Aloe Vera Gel Base:
   This is a simpler method as the base already contains aloe vera, a gelling agent, and soothing ingredients like Vitamin B5 and Allantoin.

   • You can use Aloe Vera Gel (Heavy) or Aloe Vera Gel (Lite) as your base (up to 100%). The Lite version is lighter and absorbs faster.
   • Simply add additional desired active ingredients (e.g., more soothing extracts like Cucumber Extract, or cooling agents) and a preservative if you are adding significant amounts of water-based ingredients that might dilute the base's preservative system.
   • Stir gently until homogeneous.

Additional Tips for After-Sun Gel

Consider adding ingredients known for their soothing and cooling properties, such as:

• Cucumber Extract
• Chamomile Extract
• Bisabolol
• Menthol Lactate (use at very low concentrations for a cooling sensation)

Choose the method that best suits your comfort level and desired complexity. Both Xanthan Gum and Aristoflex AVC are good alternatives to HEC for creating a gel texture.