Pain Relief Cream Formulation: Instability and Stickiness with High Oil Phase

Based on your description of the pain relief cream formulation with approximately 50% oil phase, the instability and stickiness you are experiencing are likely due to the emulsifier and thickener system not being fully optimized for such a high oil load.

To improve the stability and texture of your cream, consider the following:

• Review your current emulsifier system: The combination and concentration of Tego Care 450 and Tego Soft DEC might need adjustment for a 50% oil phase. Ensure the HLB of your emulsifier blend is appropriate for your specific oil phase composition.
• Optimize thickeners: While Cetyl Alcohol and GMS contribute to thickening, their usage rate or combination might be contributing to stickiness.

Alternatively, you could explore using different ingredients known for stabilizing high oil content and providing a better feel:

• Consider a robust cream maker: Products like CreamMaker EG™ are designed to create stable cream textures and can handle higher oil phases while providing a soft, light feel and good pick-up, which can help reduce stickiness.
• Incorporate a non-sticky thickener: CreamThick™ (Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate) is a water-phase thickener that is known for improving emulsion stability and providing a soft, smooth skin feel without being sticky. It can be used in conjunction with other emulsifiers. Sepimax Zen is another strong thickener and stabilizer that is tolerant to electrolytes and pH variations, which could also contribute to stability.

Experimenting with the concentrations of your current ingredients or incorporating alternative thickeners/cream makers like CreamMaker EG™ or CreamThick™ should help you achieve a more stable and less sticky cream texture. Always perform small-scale tests when adjusting formulations.