Cloudiness in Cleansing Water with Phenoxyethanol SA
Question
I added Phenoxyethanol SA to my Cleansing Water and it became cloudy.
I made two Cleansing Water formulas:
Formula 1:
- PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides
- PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
- Amino acids
- Sebaryl
- Water
- Ginkgo extract
- Disodium EDTA
- Orina-G
- Aquasan
- Cucumber Extract
- Witch Hazel Extract
- Sodium Hyaluronate
- Poly Suga Mulse D9
Formula 2:
- PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides
- PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
- Rose Water
- Sodium Caproyl / luaroyl lactylate
- Witchhazel
- Cucumber Extract
- Sodium Hyaluronate
- aloe vera
- glycerin vegetable
- Poly Suga Mulse D9
Both formulas were clear after mixing. However, after adding Phenoxyethanol SA, both formulas became cloudy. When I heated the mixture, it became clear, but upon cooling, the white cloudiness returned.
What could be the cause of this?
Answer
Cloudiness in Cleansing Water with Phenoxyethanol SA
The cloudiness you are experiencing after adding Phenoxyethanol SA (equivalent to Optiphen Plus) to your cleansing water formulations is likely due to the limited solubility of Phenoxyethanol SA in water.
Phenoxyethanol SA is soluble in water, but only up to approximately 1.0%. If the concentration used exceeds this limit, or if other ingredients in your formula reduce its solubility, the preservative can precipitate out of the solution, causing cloudiness, especially as the temperature decreases.
Your observation that heating the mixture makes it clear and cloudiness returns upon cooling strongly supports this explanation. This is a characteristic behavior of ingredients with limited solubility that are more soluble at higher temperatures.
To address this issue, consider the following:
- Check the concentration: Ensure the percentage of Phenoxyethanol SA used is within the recommended solubility limit for water-based formulas (typically not exceeding 1.0% in water). The product description for Phenoxyethanol SA mentions solubility in water not more than 1.0%.
- Review formula compatibility: Some ingredients in your formulas, such as extracts or other components, might affect the overall solubility of the preservative blend.
- Consider an alternative preservative: If a higher concentration of preservative is needed or if compatibility issues persist, you might need to explore alternative broad-spectrum preservatives that have higher water solubility or better compatibility with your specific formula ingredients.
It's important to perform stability testing on your final formulation to ensure clarity and effectiveness over time and under different temperature conditions.
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