BB Cream Separation Issue: High Powder Content and Insufficient Emulsifier/Thickener

Question

Hello,

I tried making my own BB cream, but it separated. The texture wasn't smooth, and when applied to the skin, it looked completely separated into water and powder.

The ingredients used are as follows:

Powder Phase:

Titanium Dioxide Nano EasyDisperse™ 10%
Silk Sericite Powder 20% (Used instead of Mica as high coverage wasn't desired, aiming for a natural look)
Kaolin (China Clay) 3%
Magnesium Stearate 5%
Colored with Beige Iron Oxides EasyMix™

Cream Phase:

Distilled Water 50%
LipidSoft Palm 10%
Phenoxyethanol 1%
Light Cream Maker 1%

What could be causing this separation and poor texture?

MySkinRecipes Expert · Accepted Answer

Hello! I understand the problem you're facing with your homemade BB cream separating. The separation into water and powder/oil layers usually indicates an unstable emulsion and/or poor suspension of the powder particles in the cream base.

Based on the ingredients you listed, here are some observations:

Very High Powder Content: The total amount of powder ingredients is approximately 38% (10% + 20% + 3% + 5% + color), which is a very high percentage for a cream formulation. Getting such a large amount of powder to disperse and remain suspended stably in a cream without settling or separating is challenging.
Amount and Type of Thickener/Emulsifier: You are using Light Cream Maker at 1%. This ingredient acts as both an emulsifier (helping water and oil mix) and a thickener/texturizer (making the cream thicker and helping suspend powders). However, for a formula with 10% oil and nearly 40% total powders, 1% might not be sufficient to both stabilize the emulsion and suspend all the powder effectively.

Suggested Solutions:

Increase Thickener/Emulsifier Amount: If the usage instructions for Light Cream Maker allow for a higher percentage than 1%, try increasing the amount. This will help make the cream thicker and improve its ability to suspend the powders.
Consider Adding a Suspending Agent: Given the very high powder load, adding an ingredient specifically designed to help suspend solid particles, such as certain gums (e.g., Xanthan Gum, Sclerotium Gum) or other rheology modifiers known for their suspending capabilities, would be beneficial to prevent powder settling.
Review Mixing Procedure: Ensure your mixing process is correct, especially when incorporating the powders into the cream base. Make sure the powders are fully dispersed. You might try pre-dispersing the powders in a small amount of the oil phase (LipidSoft Palm) before adding them to the water phase containing the Light Cream Maker; this can sometimes help powders incorporate more smoothly.

In summary, the main issue is likely that the 1% Light Cream Maker is insufficient to handle both the oil phase emulsification and the very high powder load. Increasing the thickener/emulsifier or adding a dedicated suspending agent are the primary ways to address this problem.

Hope this helps! Let me know if you have more questions.