Formulating Water-in-Oil Emulsion with 50% Oil Content

Hello! Welcome as a beginner.

Regarding your questions about the usage percentage and mixing method for Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate and Magnesium Sulfate in a water-in-oil (W/O) emulsion:

• Usage Percentage: The percentages for both Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate and Magnesium Sulfate are typically calculated based on the total weight of your final formula. As the staff mentioned, for Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate, if your formula has a high oil content (like your 50%), you might use 3% or more, up to 5%. For Magnesium Sulfate, the recommendation is 1%, and you can try increasing it up to 3% if you experience separation.
• Mixing Method for W/O Emulsion (Water 50%, Oil 50%):
  1. Prepare your oil phase by combining your herbal oil and Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate. You may need to gently heat this phase.
  2. Prepare your water phase by combining your water and Magnesium Sulfate. Ensure the Magnesium Sulfate is dissolved. You may also need to gently heat this phase to a similar temperature as the oil phase.
  3. Slowly add the water phase drop by drop or in a thin stream into the oil phase while mixing continuously and vigorously. For W/O emulsions, high-shear mixing (using a homogenizer or a strong mixer) is usually required to create a stable emulsion.
• Note on High Oil Content: As the staff pointed out, a 50% oil ratio is quite high for a W/O emulsion and might be challenging to stabilize completely with just these two ingredients. You mentioned you are okay with partial mixing, which is good given this ratio. If you aim for a more stable emulsion in the future, you might need to explore additional W/O stabilizers.

I hope this helps with your herbal oil medicine formulation!