Improving Your Cream Texture

It sounds like you're having trouble getting your cream formula to thicken properly after adding the water phase and other ingredients. The texture being thin and tofu-like suggests that the emulsion might not be forming correctly.

When using Oil Cream Maker, achieving a stable cream texture relies heavily on the mixing process. The recommended method is to first thoroughly mix the Oil Cream Maker with your oil phase (Wintergreen Oil, palm oil). This requires sufficient blending speed (at least 1000 rpm) for several minutes (5 minutes or more) to properly disperse the Oil Cream Maker in the oil.

Separately, prepare your water phase by mixing water with Triethanolamine and your water-soluble ingredients (natural extracts, menthol, camphor, borneol, preservative).

The crucial step is the emulsification: while continuously blending the water phase, slowly add the oil phase to the water phase in a thin stream. Continue blending until a homogeneous cream texture is achieved. The blending speed should be at least 1000 rpm but not exceed 3000 rpm.

Also, the recommended ratio of Triethanolamine to Oil Cream Maker is typically 2:1. In your formula, you are using 0.4% Oil Cream Maker and 0.6% Triethanolamine, which is a ratio of 1.5:1. Adjusting the Triethanolamine to 0.8% (to match the 2:1 ratio with 0.4% Oil Cream Maker) might help improve the emulsion stability and texture. You could also consider slightly increasing the concentration of Oil Cream Maker if needed, keeping the 2:1 ratio with Triethanolamine.

Regarding your question about ClayThick and Oil-Fix:

• ClayThick (Magnesium Aluminum Silicate) is a thickener that can be used in the water phase of oil-in-water emulsions like yours. It can help increase viscosity and improve stability. If you wish to use it, it should be properly dispersed in the water phase before combining the water and oil phases.
• Oil-Fix (Silica Dimethyl Silylate) is primarily designed for water-in-oil or water-in-silicone emulsions to improve stability and adjust texture. It is less suitable for thickening the water phase in an oil-in-water system.

The Oil Thick products (Soft, Hard, Clear) suggested by the staff are primarily oil thickeners used to create oil gels. While they can thicken the oil phase, they won't resolve an issue with the fundamental emulsification process if the Oil Cream Maker is not used correctly.

Therefore, the first step to improve your cream texture is to ensure you are following the correct mixing procedure for Oil Cream Maker and consider adjusting the ratio of Triethanolamine to Oil Cream Maker. If you still need a thicker texture after optimizing the emulsification, you could consider incorporating ClayThick into your water phase following its recommended dispersion method.