How to Thicken Water-in-Oil Cream

You are trying to create a water-in-oil (W/O) cream using white oil, beeswax, and water. It's understandable that the cream is not thickening sufficiently with just these three ingredients. Beeswax can provide some viscosity, but it primarily functions as a wax and may not be enough on its own to create a stable and viscous water-in-oil emulsion, especially since you are trying to incorporate water into the oil phase.

Typical gel-forming agents you might have tried are usually designed for water-based formulas (oil-in-water emulsions or gels) and will not work effectively in the oil phase of a water-in-oil emulsion.

To properly thicken and stabilize a water-in-oil cream, you need ingredients that work specifically in the oil phase or are designed as water-in-oil emulsifiers. Here are some approaches and relevant ingredients:

1. Use a dedicated Water-in-Oil Emulsifier: Beeswax has some emulsifying properties, but a dedicated W/O emulsifier is much more effective at binding the water and oil phases together and creating a stable structure. An example is Oil Cream Maker™, which is specifically designed to create stable creams with high oil content (up to 70%) and acts as a binder.

2. Incorporate Oil Thickeners/Gellants: These ingredients work directly in the oil phase to increase its viscosity, which in turn helps to thicken the overall water-in-oil emulsion. Examples include the Oil Thick™ series (such as Oil Thick™ Hard, Oil Thick™ Soft, Oil Thick™ Thixotropic, Oil Thick™ Transparent) or the Oil-Fix™ series (such as Oil-Fix™ W, Oil-Fix™ O, Oil-Fix™ S). These can significantly increase the viscosity of oils like white oil (Mineral Oil).

3. Optimize Beeswax Usage (or use Emulsifying Beeswax): While beeswax alone might not be sufficient, using it in combination with a W/O emulsifier and/or oil thickeners can contribute to the desired texture. There are also specialized ingredients like Emulsifying Beeswax which combine the properties of beeswax with additional emulsifiers to help create creams.

Recommendation:

To achieve a stable and viscous water-in-oil cream with white oil, consider adding a dedicated water-in-oil emulsifier like Oil Cream Maker™ and/or an oil thickener from the Oil Thick™ or Oil-Fix™ series to your formula. These ingredients are designed to work with the oil phase and effectively stabilize the emulsion, giving you the desired creamy texture. Ensure you follow the recommended usage rates and mixing instructions for these ingredients, as they often require heating and proper blending to form a stable emulsion.

Using just white oil, beeswax, and water is unlikely to yield a stable, thick water-in-oil cream. You need components that can effectively emulsify and thicken the oil phase while incorporating the water phase.