Addressing Cream Thinning with Urea and Gluconolactone

It's understandable that your cream thinned after adding Gluconolactone (PHA) to stabilize Urea. This is a common challenge in formulation because Urea is an electrolyte, and Gluconolactone is acidic. Many traditional thickeners and emulsifiers are sensitive to both low pH and high salt concentrations, causing them to lose their thickening power and destabilize the formula.

The technique of using acid and electrolyte-tolerant thickeners or cream makers is indeed the correct approach to overcome this issue, similar to how formulations with AHA are handled. These specialized ingredients are designed to maintain viscosity and stability even in the presence of challenging ingredients like Urea and acidic components like Gluconolactone.

To fix the thinning problem, you should replace your current thickener or cream maker with one that is specifically tolerant to acids and electrolytes. Based on the available options, here are some suitable choices:

• Carbomer Ultrez 30: This is a carbomer specifically designed for electrolyte tolerance and works well in a pH range of 4-12.
• Carbomer U21: Another carbomer that offers a wide pH range tolerance (5-11) and is self-wetting, making it easy to use.
• Sepimax Zen: A highly tolerant thickener and emulsion stabilizer that performs well across a wide pH range and is resistant to salts/electrolytes.
• CreamMaker Acid™: An emulsifier/thickener specifically developed for low pH, acid-based formulations, including those with AHAs.
• CreamMaker EG™: While its optimal pH range is listed as 5.5-12, it is also noted as a thickener and stabilizer that can improve texture and has consistent viscosity across formulations. It might be suitable depending on your target pH within the 4-5.5 range recommended for Urea stabilization.

By switching to one of these acid and electrolyte-tolerant options, you should be able to achieve and maintain the desired cream consistency even with the inclusion of Urea and Gluconolactone. Remember to check the recommended usage rate for the specific thickener or cream maker you choose, as it may differ from the one you are currently using.