Emulsifying High Water Formula with Soy Lecithin

Asked by: jing.jing.jg On: June 15, 2016 Product Type: Cosmetics

Question

Can the following formula be emulsified using Soy Lecithin 10%? Why is it not emulsifying?

  • Water: ~71.5%
  • Cocoa Butter: 15%
  • Soy Lecithin: 10%
  • Kojic Acid: 3%
  • Nano Silver: 0.5%

Answer

Based on the previous staff response, your proposed formula is unlikely to emulsify successfully using Soy Lecithin at 10%.

The staff mentioned that Soy Lecithin works best in formulations with a low water content. Your formula contains approximately 71.5% water (100% - 15% Cocoa Butter - 10% Soy Lecithin - 3% Kojic Acid - 0.5% Nano Silver).

The staff's example showed that even with 10% water, 5% Lecithin was used, and for higher water content like 20%, the proportion of Lecithin needs to be increased.

With a water content as high as 71.5%, 10% Soy Lecithin is generally not sufficient to create a stable emulsion. Soy Lecithin is typically more effective as an emulsifier in W/O (water-in-oil) emulsions or formulations with a significantly lower water phase compared to your proposed O/W (oil-in-water) type formulation.

Therefore, based on the nature of Soy Lecithin and the high water percentage in your formula, it is highly probable that it will not emulsify properly.