Facial Gel Color Change Analysis

Asked by: paragonse On: September 03, 2014 Product Type: Cosmetics

Question

I made a facial gel using the following ingredients: Vitamin B3, Urea, Disodium EDTA, Xanthan Gum, Tomato extract, and Nanowhite. After several months, the gel has changed color to brown. I have already checked with the supplier's staff, and they confirmed that Vitamin B3, Urea, Disodium EDTA, and Xanthan Gum from their company do not cause browning. What could be the cause of this color change?

Answer

Subject: Analysis of Gel Color Change

Hello,

Thank you for sharing your facial gel formulation and the issue of color change.

Based on your ingredients and the feedback provided:

  • The staff confirmed that Vitamin B3, Urea, Disodium EDTA, and Xanthan Gum purchased from their company are not the cause of the browning. Other users also agree regarding Vitamin B3.

This leaves the other ingredients as potential culprits: Tomato extract and Nanowhite.

Analysis of potential causes:

  • Tomato Extract: Natural extracts often contain compounds that can oxidize or degrade over time, leading to color changes. This is a very common reason for formulations containing botanical extracts to change color.
  • Nanowhite: This is a complex blend of active ingredients (like alpha-arbutin, potentially antioxidants). While designed for stability, interactions between components or degradation of less stable parts (e.g., certain Vitamin C derivatives if present) could potentially cause discoloration, especially over several months. Another user also suspected Nanowhite.

Recommendations:

  • To pinpoint the exact cause, you could try making smaller test batches, omitting either the Tomato extract or the Nanowhite in separate trials, and observing them over time under the same storage conditions.
  • It is highly recommended to contact the suppliers of the Tomato extract and Nanowhite you used. They can provide specific stability data, recommended usage guidelines, and potential compatibility issues for their specific products.
  • Other factors like the overall pH of your formulation and potential trace metal contamination (though EDTA helps) can also influence stability.

Understanding the stability of each ingredient, especially natural extracts and complex blends, is crucial when developing products for sale.

Hope this analysis helps!

Tags

Color Changing Gel Natural Extract Oxidation Stability