Formulating High Wax Pomade for Soft Texture

Based on your requirement for a high wax content (50-70%) formula that remains a soft cream or scoopable texture at room temperature, simply mixing wax and oil will result in a solid block as the wax crystallizes upon cooling. To prevent this and achieve a soft, scoopable texture while maintaining a high wax percentage, you need to incorporate ingredients that modify the wax's crystal structure or provide a soft, semi-solid base.

Based on the available ingredients, here are a few options that can help you achieve the desired soft texture:

• Tribehenin (Soft Wax): This is a soft, non-crystalline wax that can be used in place of or in combination with your current wax. Its soft nature and inability to form hard crystals can help create a more pliable texture in the final product. You can try replacing a portion of your current wax with Tribehenin. It can be used up to 50% of the formula.

• Oil Thick ™ Soft: This ingredient is an oil gelling agent designed to create a soft, dense oily gel texture. Incorporating Oil Thick ™ Soft into your wax/oil mixture can help form a soft gel matrix that prevents the wax from solidifying into a hard block, resulting in a softer, scoopable texture. It is typically used at 2-10%.

• Mineral Oil Gel (Thixotropic) or Vaseline Petroleum Jelly (Transparent Gel): These are pre-made soft gel bases. Adding a percentage of either of these to your heated wax and oil mixture before it cools can significantly soften the final texture. They are commonly used in balms and pomades to provide a soft, pliable consistency.

Hectorite Oil Gel, as the staff mentioned, is likely not suitable for this specific application as it creates a different type of gel structure that may not integrate well with a high wax content to produce the desired soft pomade texture.

To achieve your desired pomade texture with 50-70% wax, you will likely need to experiment with adding one or a combination of Tribehenin, Oil Thick ™ Soft, Mineral Oil Gel, or Vaseline Petroleum Jelly to your current wax and oil blend. Start with a small percentage of the softening ingredient (e.g., 5-10%) and adjust based on the resulting texture after cooling.

Here is a summary of the suggested ingredients:

• Tribehenin (Soft Wax)
• Oil Thick ™ Soft
• Mineral Oil Gel (Thixotropic)
• Vaseline Petroleum Jelly (Transparent Gel)

By incorporating one or more of these, you should be able to create a high-wax pomade that remains a soft, scoopable cream at room temperature.