Dissolving Chloroxylenol (PCMX)

Chloroxylenol (PCMX) is an ingredient that is not highly soluble in water but dissolves well in organic solvents and glycols. The substances you listed can all help dissolve or incorporate PCMX into formulations.

Here's how each substance works and a general ranking of their ability to dissolve PCMX:

1. Propylene Glycol and Butylene Glycol: These are effective direct solvents for PCMX powder. They can dissolve PCMX into a clear solution, depending on the concentration. Propylene Glycol is a very common choice for dissolving PCMX. Butylene Glycol is similar and often used as an alternative.
2. Flora Solve™ Clear and PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil: These are solubilizers and surfactants. They are particularly useful for incorporating PCMX into water-based formulations where PCMX wouldn't normally dissolve. They work by surrounding the PCMX molecules, allowing them to be dispersed stably in water. PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil is even used in a pre-solubilized liquid form of PCMX.

Ranking by Dissolving Ability (Generally, for PCMX Powder):

It's difficult to give a precise ranking without specific solubility data for each substance with PCMX. However, based on their function as direct solvents versus solubilizers, and common usage:

• Propylene Glycol / Butylene Glycol: Generally considered effective direct solvents for PCMX powder.
• Flora Solve™ Clear / PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil: Effective for solubilizing PCMX into water, but their "dissolving power" for the pure powder might be less than the direct solvents, and their function is more about dispersion in water.

In practice, if you are dissolving PCMX powder directly, Propylene Glycol or Butylene Glycol are good choices. If you are trying to add PCMX to a water-based product, Flora Solve™ Clear or PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil would be used as solubilizers.