Chamomile Body Butter Misadventures Part 2
Let’s continue with the write-up of my various Chamomile Body Butter tests.
Version 5
Version 5 of the Chamomile Body Butter saw the introduction of Gelmaker NAT.
Gelmaker NAT INCI: Sodium acrylate/sodium acryloyldimethyl taurate copolymer, C15-19 alkane, polyglyceryl-6 laurate, polyglycerin-6
I wanted to see how it would change the viscosity. Gelmaker NAT can be used as a primary emulsifier, it’s a liquid and it’s anionic. The only thing important about it is that the pH has to be no less than 5. It works by itself with up to a 35% oil phase. So adding it to the mix can only help stabilize the emulsion.
Here’s the formula:
PHASE A
56.6% distilled water
2% betaine
0.6% biochelate
2.6% hp starch
PHASE B
1% eumulgin
18.5% shea butter
6% sunflower oil
3% natrasil
2.2% gelmakerNAT
PHASE C
0.2% vitamin e t-50
0.5% euxyl pe 9010
1.4% chamomile extract
1.4% fragrance
Results
Based on my notes, this mix was a solid A. I have two strong anionic emulsifiers (Gelmaker NAT and Eumulgin SG) in this formula. Probably not necessary, but they’re of different forms so I didn’t really mind.
The mix thickened immediately upon mixing the two phases. It didn’t take lots of mixing to form the emulsion at all, nor did I have to wait until it cooled to below 40℃ before it thickened.
Glyceryl oleate, a w/o emulsifier, was a good addition here. It’s added here at a small percentage to help stabilize the emulsion and help decrease any white rub in time.
Gelmaker NAT has a quick breaking affect during application. That may be the reason why there wasn’t much of a that white rub in when applying it to the skin.
Or, it could be because of the lack of waxy emulsifiers in this formula. Sucramerge Pro and Eumulgin are both powdered emulsifiers. Gelmaker NAT is a gel. Glyceryl oleate is a liquid.
But because of that, the viscosity is not what I was looking for in a butter, even with the 2.2% Gelmaker NAT. But the mix was pretty decent according to my notes.
Version 6
There’s not much to say about version 6. I tried again with Xanthan in the water phase. I replaced the Shea butter with Mango butter. The Glyceryl Oleate stayed, and Cetyl Alcohol was added to help bulk up the mix. Again…I didn’t like the way it felt or rubbed in. And again… I think it’s the xanthan gum.
`(*>﹏<*)′
Version 7
For version 7 of the Chamomile Body Butter, I added Oliwax LC, a “liquid crystal promoter” that helps stabilize emulsions. It’s said to help provide “skin-hydration and a unique texture due to the high water content of the liquid crystalline structure”…whatever that means.(3)
Oliwax LC INCI: Cetyl Palmitate (and) Sorbitan Palmitate (and) Sorbitan Olivate
Here’s the formula:
PHASE A
51.4% distilled water
3.4% propanediol
4% betaine
0.1% sodium gluconate
2.6% hp starch
PHASE B
2% sucramerge PRO
4% oliwax LC
2.8% natrasil
2% sunflower oil
20% mango butter
PHASE C
1% chamomile extract
0.2% vitamin e t-50
0.5% euxyl pe 9010
2% fragrance
Results
Here, I noticed something that I hadn’t paid attention to. In this mix, I noticed slight irritation on my skin. What was causing it? I had already used Oliwax LC many times without an issue and none of the other ingredients caused any problems.
Instead of Sodium Phytate I decided to use Sodium Gluconate as the chelator. Spoiler alert: it was the Sodium Gluconate, but I wouldn’t notice that until Version 8.
I didn’t like the way it looked. It was too…starchy-looking. Not smooth and shiny like I prefer. 2nd spoiler alert: it was the HP starch, but I wouldn’t notice that until Version 8 as well.
Version 8
Version 8 was a solid F, according to my notes, because it was both slightly irritating and physically looked terrible.
Here’s the formula:
PHASE A
64% distilled water
4% betaine
0.4% sodium gluconate
2.3% hp starch
PHASE B
3% heliosoft
2% oliwax LC
6% mango butter
6% shea oil (not butter)
1% glyeryl stearate SE
2.8% cetyl alcohol
PHASE C
2% mallow extract
1.4% chamomile extract
4% natrasil
0.2% vitamin e t-50
0.5% euxyl pe 9010
0.4% fragrance
Result
It’s the HP starch that made this formula physically look like…i don’t know…mashed potatoes? Well, maybe not quite mash potatoes. lol! But it looked starchy. It felt ‘meh’…until about 10 minutes in. Every time I used it on my skin, I’d feel slight irritation just on the area I had used the formula.
Sodium Gluconate has a usage rate of 0.1 – 1%. I used it at 0.4%, so I was within the usage rate. Sometimes various ingredients cause irritation to certain people. It may not be irritating in and of itself. I may just have a sensitivity to this ingredient.
Either way, Version 8 was a solid F for me. Moving on!
Stay tuned for Part 3! 🤭
