On-Line Formulation Training - Anywhere In The World - Natural and Organic products: the formulation and preservative challengs your chemist faces Belinda Carli Director, Institute of Personal Care Science
Issues with Green Formulations What is natural? According to natural and organic standard: ISO 16128-1:2016 Permitted processing: condensation; hydrolysis; hydrogenation; esterification and/or transesterification; fermentation; hydration; neutralization; oxidation/reduction; saponification and sulphation (condensed list) Prohibited processing: alkoxylation, sulphonation, ethoxylation and propoxylation Takes available library of materials you can use: FROM THIS TO THIS
Issues with green formulations Light skin feel: can t use silicones or mineral oil; only choice is limited natural light esters (not even majority of esters can be used!) Pleasing sensory: limited emulsifiers and natural gums only; can t use ethoxylated materials (great stability and broad range of sensory) or synthetic thickeners (broad range of sensory manipulations) Aromas: essential oils or natural fragrances from essential oil isolates only some aromas just can t be recreated + limited substantivity Performance: limited choice of actives + careful of hidden preservatives or solvents! Marketing claims: where is your USP? Limited preservatives, more expensive, ph issues!
Natural preservative choices Cosphaderm MultiMEG Dermosoft 1388 ECO Dermorganics 1388 Euxyl K 712 Cosphatec Dr Straetmans Dr Straetmans Schulke Glyceryl caprylate, pentylene glycol, Magnolia Officinalis bark extract Glycerin, Aqua, Sodium Levulinate, Sodium Anisate Glyerin, Aqua, Sodium Levulinate, Sodium Anisate Aqua (water), Sodium benzoate, Potassium sorbate Broad spectrum 0.6 2.0% 3.5 7.0 Broad spectrum 2.0 4.0% 4.0-5.5 Broad spectrum 2.0 4.0% 4.0-5.5 Avoid long term heating <40 C <40 C Natural/naturally derived, ecocert approved Naturally derived, ecocert approved Certified Organic Broad spectrum <80 C 0.5-1.5% <5.5 (max 4 hrs) Ecocert Broad spectrum 0.4 1.2% <6.0 <40 C Natural and nature identical Euxyl K 903 Schulke Benzyl alcohol, benzoic acid, dehydroacetic acid Geogard 221 Lonza Dehydroacetic acid, benzyl alcohol Broad spectrum 0.2 1.0% 2.0-7.0 <40 C Synthetic but ecocert approved Geogard ECT Lonza Benzyl alcohol, salicylic acid, glycerin, sorbic acid Broad spectrum 0.6-1.0% 3.0 8.0 Stable in heat Natural and nature identical Geogard Ultra Lonza Gluconolactone, sodium benzoate Broad spectrum 0.75 2.0% 3.0 6.0 Stable in heat Naturally derived and nature identical
Natural preservative choices Microcare DB Thor Benzyl alcohol, Dehydroacetic acid, Aqua NAB Lonza Water, Salix alba (willow) bark Willowbark extract Naticide Leucidal Liquid Completed Connell Bros Active Micro Technologi es Broad spectrum 0.2 1.0% Up to 6.0 Stable in heat Broad spectrum 2.5 5.0% <4.80 Best <40 C Parfum (fragrance) Broad spectrum 0.3 1.0% 4.0-9.0 Stable in heat Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Lacobacillus, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) fruit extract Plantservative Campo Lonicera Caprifolium flower extract, Lonicera Japonica flower extract, Aqua Plantservative WMr Campo Lonicera Caprifolium flower extract, Lonicera Japonica flower extract, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil Ecocert suitable Extensive safety data showed non-irritancy at 10% Natural, fractional distillation of essential oils to yield anti-microbial constituents. Consideration must be given to fragrance/essential oil combinations when used. Broad Spectrum 2.0 4.0% 3.0 8.0 <70⁰C Warm to 35-40 C & mix before use Broad spectrum 0.8-1.0% 4.0 10.0 Stable in heat Broad spectrum 1.5 2.5% 4.0 10.0 Stable in heat Ecocert/Cosmos compliant Helps fix the fragrance of the product but large quantity required. Ecocert/Cosmos compliant
Anti-oxidants and chelating agents Antioxidants: vitamin E (tocopherol) NOT acetate mixed tocopherols best: check strength OR rosemary extract (resinous) plant oils and essential oils need anti-oxidant present Chelating agents: phytic acid or sodium phytate may be needed with some preservatives needed when metal ions present (iron oxides) needed with some surfactants
Gums METHOD IS CRUCIAL!!! Natural gums = slurry method best Natural clays = add first, prolonged high shear Needed in MOST formulas to help stabilise Careful of stringy and tack Select materials that counter these factors
Examples Xanthan 200 vs Cosphaderm X Soft (CosphaTec): Xanthan Gum Amigel (Alban Muller): Sclerotium Gum Solagum AX (Seppic): Acacia Senegal Gum, Xanthan Gum
Lipids Oxidation Skin feel/spread Volatile materials only 1 available! Limit content of low melting point butters Plant oils, hydrogenated vegetable oils, limited esters, triglycerides Grainy butters/balms: https://youtu.be/rcslvgffr9o
Emulsifiers Can t use most polymeric emulsifiers Can t use many non-ionic emulsifiers that build good body/structure Need to build body somehow but too much emulsifier = excess white rub in (here s how to solve it: https://youtu.be/uxw4qjfbrni ) Too much gum = jelly! Strict compositional limits to be certified may restrict form
Surfactants Limited anionic choices No amphoteric choices (without petrochemical moieties) Limited superfatting agents Difficult to thicken More material needed = more expensive product! Often looks like snot in a bottle!
Solutions! * typically used at 3-10% active content (total) Examples: sodium coco-sulfate; sodium cocoyl glutamate; sodium cocoyl/olivoyl hydrolyzed oat protein (and) fructosyl cocoate/olivate * 3-10% active content * typically used at 1.5 5% active content Examples: decyl glucoside, coco-glucoside, caprylyl/capryl glucoside Examples: coco-glucoside (and) glyceryl oleate; sucrose cocoate; polyglyceryl-3 caprate; coco-caprylate (and) lauryl glucoside (and) glycerin (and) polyglyceryl-2 dipolyhydroxystearate (and) polyglyceryl-3 diisostearate gum
Special product forms: Natural solubilisers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knbghvi_lqm&list=pl1e6xt6gzmsrk960ny HJxHaDCwErNtIKU&index=12 Natural SPF30+ Sunscreen: https://youtu.be/0rrwlwxi3ko Water based foundation: https://youtu.be/ltvgjtirir0 How to fix excess white rub in time: https://youtu.be/uxw4qjfbrni
Selecting actives Check full composition careful of solvents and preservatives! Look for in-vivo efficacy data Careful of vitamins and peptides most are NATURE IDENTICAL but NOT NATURAL = can t be used Ask for Ecocert, Cosmos or ISO suitability What is your unique point of difference? Not enough to combine extracts and essential oils now need great story too! Efficacious input within compositional limits?
Example 1: Basic face wash DOESN T meet compositional limits!!! Qty (%w/w) Ingredient To 100 Purified water 9.0 Decyl glucoside (53.5% in water) 4.0 Organic glycerin 1.0 Xanthan gum 0.5 Naticide 0.1 Organic almond oil 0.1 Organic lavender oil 0.1 Natural vitamin E
www.personalcarescience.com.au Example 2: Basic cream STILL DOESN T meet compositional limits! Qty Ingredient To 100 Purified water 3.0 Organic glycerin 0.4 Xanthan gum 4.5 Olivem 1000 (emulsifier blend of cetearyl olivate and sorbitan olivate permitted material) 5.5 Organic almond oil 2.5 Organic shea butter 2.0 Organic macadamia oil 2.0 Stearic acid (vegetable derived assume approval for use) 0.1 Organic chamomile extract (in organic glycerin assume 100% organic) 0.1 Organic lavender oil 1.0 Natural vitamin E 0.25 Sodium benzoate 0.25 Potassium sorbate
How to work with your chemist Be realistic give the brief but realise some things just can t be created Give them extra time sourcing, calculation, development, stability testing Form and sensory may not be perfect, can t match a synthetic product! Remember consumer needs/wants organic customers will accept some trade off to be certified If going organic, go CERTIFIED otherwise your product will seem inferior If not natural or organic certification, don t suggest it is! Learn to formulate to organic certification lots of extra considerations!!!
Questions? Comments? www.personalcarescience.com.au LEADERS in DISTANCE and ON-LINE training Certificate and Diploma level We bring the training to YOU Flexible study at your home or work See us on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/c/theinstituteofpersonalcarescience