Understanding Ingredient Usage Percentage in Formulations
Question
When a recommended usage percentage is provided for an ingredient, does this percentage refer to:
- The concentration of the ingredient before it is diluted or incorporated into a final product (e.g., for a pre-diluted solution)?
- Or does it refer to the final concentration of the ingredient as it should be present directly in the end product?
Answer
The recommended usage percentage for an ingredient almost always refers to its final concentration in the finished product. This is the amount of the ingredient as it will exist in the product that the end-user applies or consumes.
If an ingredient is supplied as a pre-diluted solution or a blend, its recommended usage percentage will typically account for that dilution. For example, if an active ingredient is supplied as a 10% solution, and the recommendation is to use 1% of the active, the usage percentage for the solution in the formula would be 10%. However, the documentation for such ingredients usually specifies whether the percentage refers to the pure active or the as-supplied material.
Always refer to the supplier's technical data sheet (TDS) or safety data sheet (SDS) for precise instructions on how to calculate and incorporate the ingredient, especially for potent actives or concentrated raw materials.