Serum Clarity Issue with Honey and Fragrance

The cloudiness you are experiencing in your serum after adding honey and then fragrance with Polysorbate 20 is likely due to a solubilization issue.

Polysorbate 20 is a common solubilizer, but it may not be strong enough or the most suitable option to fully solubilize all components of your specific fragrance and the compounds present in honey (or honey extract) in a water-based serum, especially at a fragrance concentration of 0.5% and Polysorbate 20 at 2.5%. Polysorbate 20 can sometimes cause turbidity when trying to solubilize oily components.

To achieve a clear serum, you may need to use a different solubilizer that is more effective for fragrances and potentially the type of honey or honey extract you are using. Consider using a dedicated fragrance solubilizer like Flora Solve Clear or Ultra Solve.

Recommendations:

• Try a different solubilizer: Replace Polysorbate 20 with a solubilizer specifically designed for fragrances in water-based systems, such as Flora Solve Clear or Ultra Solve.
• Adjust Solubilizer Concentration: Start by testing the new solubilizer at a concentration recommended by the supplier for solubilizing fragrances (often a ratio of solubilizer to fragrance is suggested, e.g., 1:1 or 2:1, but this can vary depending on the fragrance). You may need to experiment to find the minimum concentration required to achieve clarity.
• Consider the Honey: If you are using actual honey or an oil-soluble honey extract, these can also contribute to cloudiness and increase the demand on the solubilizer. A water-dispersible honey extract might be easier to incorporate clearly.

By switching to a more effective solubilizer and adjusting its concentration, you should be able to improve the clarity of your serum.