Increasing Viscosity in Oil-Based Cleansing Gel

You're looking to increase the viscosity of your oil-based facial cleansing gel formula, which currently uses Oil Soap™, Fractionated Coconut Oil, LipidSoft Palm, Oil Blender, and Vitamin E Acetate. Since this is primarily an oil system, you will need to use thickeners specifically designed for oils, rather than water-based thickeners.

Here are some suitable oil gelling agents you can consider adding to your formula to achieve a thicker consistency:

• Oil Thick™ Soft: This creates a soft, translucent oil gel texture. It's generally used at 2-10% and mixed into the oil phase with heat (around 75-105°C depending on the oil).
• Oil Thick™ Hard: For a firmer, semi-solid oil gel texture, you can use this variant. It's also mixed into the oil phase with heat (around 75-90°C) at a usage rate of 0.1-10%.
• Oil Thick™ Transparent: If you want a clear, high-viscosity oil gel, this is a good option. It's mixed into the oil phase with heat (around 90°C) at 0.1-10%.
• Oil Thick™ Thixotropic: This provides a thixotropic gel texture, meaning it thins under shear (like rubbing) and thickens when at rest. It's used at 2-10% and mixed into the oil phase with heat (around 75-105°C).
• Oil-Fix™ O: This is a Silica-based gelling agent for oils. It can help thicken the oil phase and also improve the skin feel, making it less gooey and more dry/matte. It's dispersed in the oil phase at 0.5-10%.

To incorporate these thickeners, you typically add them to your oil phase (Fractionated Coconut Oil, LipidSoft Palm, Oil Blender) and heat the mixture to the recommended temperature for the specific thickener until it is fully dissolved or dispersed. Then, you can combine this thickened oil phase with your Oil Soap™ and Vitamin E Acetate, ensuring everything is well mixed.

Start with a lower percentage (e.g., 2-5% for Oil Thick types, or 0.5-2% for Oil-Fix™ O) and gradually increase until you achieve your desired viscosity. The exact amount needed will depend on the specific thickener chosen and the final texture you want.