Emulsifier Compatibility and Stability: Soy Lecithin vs Oil-Fix™
Asked by: jeab.jeabjeab
On: January 16, 2018
Product Type:
Cosmetics
Question
Can Oil-Fix™ be used to stabilize a formula using Soy Lecithin?
What are the differences in emulsification types (W/O vs O/W) and stability issues when using Soy Lecithin, particularly in high oil/low water formulations? How can a Soy Lecithin (O/W) formula be stabilized?
Answer
Using Phospholipid and Soy Lecithin as Emulsifiers
Based on the information provided:
- Phospholipid (Hydrogenated Lecithin): Can emulsify water-in-oil but is limited in the amount of oil it can handle. It is recommended that the oil phase does not exceed 5%. If you use more than 5% oil, you would need to perform stability testing.
- Soy Lecithin: Can be used to emulsify water-in-oil formulas with a high oil phase and low water phase. However, the main issue is long-term instability, often leading to separation. Soy Lecithin also tends to have a shorter shelf life compared to other ingredients in a formula.
- Using Oil-Fix™ with Soy Lecithin: Oil-Fix™ functions as a Water-in-Oil emulsifier/stabilizer. Soy Lecithin, when used for emulsification in the context discussed (high oil, low water), typically forms an Oil-in-Water emulsion. Since they create different emulsion types (W/O vs O/W), Oil-Fix™ cannot be used to stabilize an Oil-in-Water emulsion made with Soy Lecithin.
- Stabilizing Soy Lecithin (Oil-in-Water): To help stabilize an Oil-in-Water emulsion made with Soy Lecithin, ClayThick can be used. However, you would need to test the formula to determine the level of stability achieved.
