Lotion Texture Issues: Too Liquid, Sticky, Slow Absorption

Question

Hello, I recently had a lotion produced. After using it for about 2 weeks, the results are quite good.

However, the issue is with the product texture. It is very liquid, and when applied to the skin, it feels like it coats the skin. It takes a long time to absorb into the skin, is sticky and tacky. When showering, it feels like washing off something slippery.

I probably cannot use it outside of an air-conditioned room.

I want the product texture to feel like a normal lotion. How can I fix this?

The ingredients are as follows:

Sweet Almond Oil (Refined) 5.00
Z-White™ 1.00
Safe-B3™ (Vitamin B3, Niacinamide, Switzerland) 5.00
GlucoBright™ (Acetyl glucosamine) 4.00
Clover Flower Extract (Biochanin A 98%) 0.50
Licorice Extract (Glabridin 4.5%, Water-Soluble) 2.00
VersaMoist™ (PEG/PPG-14/7 Dimethyl Ether) 2.00
Mild Preserved Eco™ (Preservative-Free) 1.00
Activated Resorcinol™ 1.00
Satin Cream Maker™ 1.50
Xanthan Gum (ชนิดเจลใส, เนื้อเนียนไม่ยืด) 0.50
Isopentyldiol 5.00
ActiveProtec™ OX 1.00
Laureth-23 2.00
Ethyl Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C Ethyl Ether) 2.00
Chance (compare to Chanel) 1.00
น้ำกลั่น ปราศจากเชื้อ 59.50
Glycerin 99.5% 4.00
Phospholipid 1.00
Butylene Glycol 1.00

MySkinRecipes Expert · Accepted Answer

Subject: Improving Lotion Texture (Liquid, Coating, Sticky)

Hello,

Thank you for sharing your lotion formulation and the issues you're experiencing with the texture. It sounds like you've achieved good results in terms of efficacy, but the texture (too liquid, coating feel, slow absorption, stickiness) is not ideal.

The texture of a lotion is determined by the balance of its ingredients, especially the water and oil phases, emulsifiers, thickeners, and humectants. Based on your formulation:

The relatively high percentage of water (59.5%) contributes to the liquid consistency.
The combination and percentages of humectants (Glycerin, Isopentyldiol, VersaMoist, Butylene Glycol) can contribute to the sticky or tacky feel, especially Glycerin.
The emulsifier system (Satin Cream Maker™, Laureth-23, Phospholipid) and the thickener (Xanthan Gum) determine how the oil and water phases are combined and how the lotion feels on the skin and absorbs.

To address the issues and achieve a texture closer to a normal lotion, here are some suggestions you can try, starting with small adjustments:

Increase Thickener: Slightly increase the percentage of Xanthan Gum (ID 216). You are currently using 0.5%. Try increasing it gradually, for example, to 0.6% or 0.7%. This should help increase the viscosity and body of the lotion, making it less liquid and potentially improving the absorption feel.
Reduce Humectants: To reduce stickiness, consider slightly decreasing the percentage of humectants like Glycerin (ID 143) or Isopentyldiol (ID 2161). For instance, you could try reducing Glycerin from 4% to 2-3% or Isopentyldiol from 5% to 3-4%. Be mindful that these ingredients also act as solvents for some of your active ingredients.
Review Emulsifier Usage: Ensure you are using Satin Cream Maker™ (ID 247) and Laureth-23 (ID 140) according to their recommended usage guidelines and manufacturing process. The way the emulsion is formed significantly impacts the final texture and stability.

It's recommended to make one change at a time and test a small batch to see the effect on the texture before making further adjustments or scaling up. Finding the perfect texture often requires some experimentation.

I hope these suggestions help you improve your lotion's texture!