The secret behind the formulation of sunscreen lotion

 Formulation of sunscreen lotion is a complex science and manufacturing process plays an important role in maximising the performance of permitted substances. There are certain important steps in the manufacture and formulation of sunscreen lotion.

• During the process of manufacture, ingredients like Cetyl alcohol and stearic acid are blended together and dispersed into the phase of oil.
• The water phase that contains emulsifiers and stabilizers like Veegum, Carbopol are separated.
• The two phases are then mixed in the form of emulsion which is aided by heating between 110 and 185 degree Fahrenheit. Although the temperature depends on the ingredients. This is an important phase in formulation of sunscreen lotion.
• The UV filters and absorbers are supplied like dry powder and are predisposed either in oil or aqueous bases. These micronized oxides are dispersed into the appropriate phase depending on the raw material and then being added to the product. You will need the support from surfactant chemical supplier.
• The mixing gets continued till the end, until the product becomes homogeneous. This is the secret behind the formulation of sunscreen lotion.
While you carry in the process of manufacturing, there arise a lot of problems and encounters.
• While mixing operations, the hydration of thickening and suspending agents is one of the most difficult of all. The incomplete hydration or formulation of all agglomerates can have a detrimental effect on the SPF.
• When you add the powdered ingredients, partial hydration of materials can build up the vessel walls.
• The emulsion has to be quite stable along with the minimum addition of emulsifiers and stabilizers. Certain additives can reduce the SPF as per knowledge. You must contact your surfactant chemical supplier beforehand.

For obtaining a homogeneous product, you might require additional equipment and other requirements. The improved dispersion of micronized oxides that uses Silverson high shear mixer results in the better quality of SPF.

Why to opt for Specialty Chemical Companies

 With each passing day, packaged goods are becoming more and more popular. People are preferring them to other natural products because of the affordability, the availability and the long shelf life. Where there is shelf life there are preservatives and where there are preservatives, there are chemicals. In such a scenariospecialty chemical suppliers have come to the forefront. No matter what the product is, these speciality chemical companies can cater to the specific demands of their clients. All that needs to be done is that they are to be approached with a very clear idea regarding the requirements.

What is so special about these suppliers?

Specialty chemical suppliers not only ensure that your needs are catered to the level best, but they also look into the fact that the whole thing becomes very affordable. In short, they are one of the wisest choices that a manufacturer could possibly make.

•    It is this client specific approach that actually makes them so popular.
•    A little example might throw some light on the matter.
•    Household detergents and cleaners generally contain alkylbenzene sulfonic acid in them. Now, the downside to the products containing LAS acid is that being synthetic, it causes a lot of environmental pollution.
•    Run offs containing this chemical causes immense water pollution.
•    If someone wants to manufacture a detergent with some difference, then these chemical companies can come to help in such cases.

How do these firms function?

•    What these companies would do is that they would recommend an affordable and yet a more environment friendly alternative to their client.
•    They could recommend something like the amino acid based surfactants in place of the LAS acid.
•    This choice would not just save the environment but it would also make the final product more appealing in the market since it uses a comparatively natural derivative in it.

The use of Phenoxyethanol as a cosmetic preservative

 The use of preservatives in cosmetics is needed to prevent cosmetic products from spoiling. Cosmetic products use a range of ingredients, some organic and some chemical. It is possible that these ingredients may spoil with time or in adverse weather conditions, thus rendering the product waste. To prevent this, cosmetic manufacturers use preservatives to protect the product. Phenoxyethanol in cosmetics is used as a preservative.

Phenoxyethanol preservative is a solvent known as glycol ether. It is a sticky and oily liquid that has a rose-like scent, which makes it ideal for use in cosmetic products. Cosmetic products can spoil, deteriorate, or lose their effectiveness due to the nature of ingredients used. Using a preservative helps to stabilize the product and prevent its spoilage or deterioration.

The use of phenoxyethanol in cosmetics is common and it is used in products like perfumes and fragrances, foundation products, lipsticks, soaps, and other products. It is also used in the preparation of hand sanitizers. Phenoxyethanol preservative not only stabilizes and preserves the product but it also has other benefits. Studies have shown that when used in a cream for acne, it can help in reducing acne.

Safety issues

The use of preservatives in cosmetics has been marred by safety concerns. Chemicals like parabens have had a bad record and there were concerns about its safety. This is why many cosmetic manufacturers prefer using phenoxyethanol. It is safe for use and is permitted for use by the FDA in the USA. Studies have shown that when used in a concentration of less than 1% it is safe and does not cause any harm. Even people who have skin allergy issues will not face any problem as long as the concentration of phenoxyethanol in the products is less than 1%. It is thus a safe cosmetic preservative.

Strong Preservative Action of Phenoxyethanol in Modern Cosmetics

 The use of preservatives in soaps and cosmetics is necessary because there are a few ingredients in household products that deteriorate rapidly. One can use phenoxyethanol in cosmetics to get the best result. The use of unfriendly products has caused many people to suffer from a variety of medical afflictions. It is safe to use phenoxyethanol in concentrations up to 1% in any cosmetic. In normal cases, its concentration is even lower because they add substances like ethylhexylglycerin.

High Utility Value of Phenoxyethanol

They use phenoxyethanol in cosmetics because it is a very versatile agent with wide-ranging properties. It functions in all pH ranges and a wide range of formulas. It exhibits wide spectrum activity against many pathogens. This makes your skincare product stable. Also, it is compatible with lots of other preservatives.

The Action of the Preservative

Through the use of the phenoxyethanol preservative, many food and cosmetic items that would deteriorate within a few days will remain stable for weeks if not months. They act to contain the destabilizing forces and create a more conducive working environment for preserving the cosmetic item. Phenoxyethanol is now widely recognized as the most important ingredient in skincare products. It is very important to use clean ingredients because otherwise there will be worms, dirt, heavy metals, and fertilizers in the product.

Check and Be Safe

The concentration of the phenoxyethanol preservative must remain less than 1% to be safe. If not, it will cause skin rashes and other allergic reactions. If a product contains atypical concentrations, it will become dangerous to even inhale it. Apart from phenoxyethanol, other preservatives in cosmetics include formaldehyde, propylparaben, benzoic acid, and sodium salicylate among many others.

It will be a good idea to check whether your soap or shampoo has this reagent in it. If yes, then you are getting a good product and so you can be happy. This holds for all products having surfactants.

The secret of fatty alcohol ethoxylate

 Clean clothes are a symbol of a good household. It is tough to clean clothes, isn't it? Which is why we have so many detergents and washing products available in the market. When it comes to washing products, there is a wide variety available in the market. You can use the one normal one, or you can easily upgrade to the washing machine friendly one. But if you notice fatty alcohol ethoxylate is one of the most common chemicals to be used in detergents.

Why do you think fatty alcohol ethoxylate and fatty alcohol sulphate are used in detergents. Before you understand their role, it is crucial that you understand the function of detergent as a whole. Do you know how does a detergent clean your clothes?

How do detergent work and the role of fatty alcohol sulphate?

Detergents have certain chemicals which allow then to attach to the dirt particles on your dirty clothes. They gather around the dirt particles and separate it from the surface of your cloth which would have been difficult to remove just with water.

The combined action is what makes detergent work. In a detergent, fatty alcohol complexes act as surfactants. These are important for micelle formation, which further contributes to the eliminates of dirt from cloth surface. Fatty alcohol complexes are the base of the detergent industry.

Other applications

Detergents are not the only thing which uses fatty alcohol compounds. In reality, fatty alcohol complexes have applications in many different industries. Their purpose remains the safe- cleansing agent.

Other industries which use fatty alcohol complexes are cosmetics, agriculture, textile, paper and oil industry. The form might be different, but the purpose is very much the same. Another great thing about fatty alcohol complexes is that it is skin safe. Researchers have discovered that fatty alcohol compounds do not induce any mutation, neither are they carcinogenic in nature.

Foam Booster Ingredients and Zwitterions for Personal Care

 The well-dressed fashionable man dictates the rules of society. And, his supreme power comes from the use of superior agents for his care. These are his shampoo, toothpaste, and bath soap. The common thing about all these products is the way they foam. This happens due to the foam booster ingredients they add to the product. Foam boosters are zwitterionic.

Two-Natured Action

To understand the action, one must know how the foam booster ingredients such as zwitterion work. The zwitterion has two functional groups, one with a positive charge and the other negatively charged. In an amino acid, the basic group H2N gets linked to the carbon atom (valency 4) which is then linked to three other atoms or atomic groups. These include a hydrogen atom, an amine group, and an acidic group COOH.

Breaking the Surface Tension

The intermolecular forces between the surfactant and water are low. This results in lowering the surface tension making it easy for the detergent to remove the dirt. The action of surfactants in sunscreen lotions are different. In the formulation of sunscreen lotion, the main action is to block the harmful rays of the sun. There is no cleaning action needed. The sun protection ingredients are either oil in water or water in oil emulsions.

Observe Safety Always

While preparing the formulation of sunscreen lotion one should make sure the ingredients are safe. Users may inhale the vapours of the sunscreen or even ingest the lotion applied to the lips. If they contain harmful compounds, they could cause damage to the internal organs.

Active Ingredients in Sunscreen Creams

Chemical UV filters are the active ingredients in sunscreen lotions. The other ingredients include lubricants, thickening, and emulsifying agents, and perfume. Preservatives, colour, and absorbing agents like zinc oxide are present. The particle size will determine the completeness of dispersion.

Use of Foam Booster Ingredients in Hair and Skin Protection Products

Many household products use foam as one of its ingredients. To increase the amount of foam, we use foam boosters. They use surfactants as foam booster ingredients because of their intrinsic nature of decreasing surface tension. This helps improve bonding with the material in the solution. Manufacturers use it in bubble soap and shower gels other than shampoos. The addition of the surfactant will help the detergent or shampoo remove dirt with ease.

Foaming and Blowing Agents

The common foaming agents include Sodium Lauryl Sulphate and Ammonium Lauryl Sulphate. Adding secondary surfactants will help increase the amount of foam the shampoo or shower gel produces. Blowing agents used in the foam booster ingredients include natural gases and carbon dioxide. When the surface tension between the oil, dirt, and grease and the water solution decreases, the grease and dirt drop out of the solution. The amount of surfactant present will determine the efficacy of the detergent or shampoo.

Process of Making the Lotion

The formulation of sunscreen lotion is straightforward and simple. There is one delivery agent. This carries the active ingredients that absorb the sun’s UV rays and give us protection. The performance parameters are sensitive and need careful handling. Blocking out the harmful rays from the sun sounds simple to do. But, how to do it? It begins with the choice of the right ingredients. One is the substance that can absorb the UV rays. Then, we need to mix them with the other substances that keep them all together.

Ingredients Used in Sunscreen Lotion

For the formulation of sunscreen lotion, we need a water-based emulsion. We dry blend the various ingredients - cetyl alcohol, soap flakes, and stearic acid. In the water phase, we mix the emulsifiers and stabilizers. Then, we mix the two phases after which we heat it. We carry on mixing until the mixture becomes smooth and homogeneous.