ClearClean Instability in Shampoo with High Oil and Polysorbate after pH Adjustment

Hello,

Regarding the issue you encountered with ClearClean™ clumping and the shampoo thinning after adjusting the pH with Citric Acid in a formula containing approximately 12% oil, increased ClearClean™ to 8% (along with adding Polysorbate and omitting salt), the team would like to explain as follows:

The problem of clumping and loss of viscosity after adjusting pH with an acid (Citric Acid) in a formula containing polymer-based thickeners (like ClearClean™) often results from the sensitivity of the thickener to pH and electrolytes.

While ClearClean™ can help emulsify a small amount of oil, as previously mentioned by the team, at an oil concentration as high as 12%, which is a significant amount, using ClearClean™ alone may not be sufficient to maintain the emulsion.

Your approach of adding Polysorbate to help emulsify the oil is correct for improving the compatibility of oil and water. However, the fact that ClearClean™ clumped and lost its viscosity after adding Citric Acid (which lowers the pH and adds electrolytes to the formula) indicates that the overall system in this specific formula (ClearClean™ 8% + 12% oil + Polysorbate + pH adjustment with acid) might be unstable under these conditions.

ClearClean™, being a type of thickener, may have limitations in tolerating very high oil content. The presence of Polysorbate with a high amount of oil might affect the structure of ClearClean™ responsible for thickening. When the pH is subsequently adjusted to be acidic with Citric Acid, adding more electrolytes to the system, ClearClean™, which may be sensitive to electrolytes and low pH, can precipitate or clump and lose its ability to thicken.

Therefore, it's not that ClearClean™ absolutely cannot be used with Polysorbate, but rather that the combination of a high percentage of oil (12%), Polysorbate, and ClearClean™ at 8% might be unstable, especially when the pH is adjusted. The system likely became overloaded or incompatible under these specific conditions.

Omitting salt this time might have contributed to the higher initial viscosity (as some salts can help increase viscosity in surfactant systems, but can also affect the stability of certain thickeners). However, the main issue causing clumping and loss of viscosity is likely the sensitivity of ClearClean™ to pH and electrolytes in a system with high oil and Polysorbate content.

For future attempts, if you need to maintain a high oil content of up to 12%, you might consider using a different thickener that is more tolerant to electrolytes and pH changes, or use a more effective emulsifier for incorporating high oil percentages into surfactant systems.

We hope this explanation is helpful.