Gel Cleanser Precipitation Issue with Tap Water

Subject: Gel Cleanser Precipitation

Regarding your question about adding Disodium EDTA to your facial cleansing gel formula for future batches to prevent precipitation when tap water enters the bottle:

Yes, adding Disodium EDTA at a concentration like 0.2% can help.

Here's why:

• Tap water contains minerals, such as calcium and magnesium.
• Some ingredients in your formula, particularly surfactants like Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate (BabyFoam), can react with these minerals, forming insoluble substances that appear as precipitation or cloudiness.
• Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It works by binding to these metal ions (minerals) in the water, preventing them from reacting with your formula's ingredients and causing precipitation.

While adding Disodium EDTA can mitigate the issue caused by hard water minerals, the staff's advice about using an appropriate bottle to prevent any external contamination (water, microbes, etc.) from entering the product remains the best practice for maintaining the stability, clarity, and hygiene of your formulation over time.

So, for future batches, including 0.2% Disodium EDTA is a good step to help prevent precipitation from hard water exposure, but also ensure your packaging minimizes accidental entry of water or other contaminants during use.