I think this could make either a great leave-on exfoliating acid gel, or perhaps a jelly-like cleanser?
By changing the kind of ion used to set the gel you can get different textures. Here I used a divalent ion, which will make this gel heat stable!
The gels formed are pH stable (yay acidity), and I think with high enough concentration could be used to create surfactant/emulsifier free emulsions!
Today I wanted to share with you these plant oil based vegan alternatives to lanolin.
Lanolin is great at forming an emollient film on the skin, and reducing water-loss through evaporation from the skin. It’s very sticky which means it often remains on the skin longer than petrolatum and oils. Lanolin also has the interesting ability to absorb water, up to 200% in some cases.
Many people are allergic to lanolin and others, like the wonderful @phyrra, choose to use animal and cruelty-free products, but it’s difficult to get the same effect with natural alternatives. Lanolin is made up wax esters, lanolin alcohols, and lanolin acids which give it its unique properties.
I’ve come across other ingredients that are marketed as lanolin alternatives, but they’re often hydrogenated oils or plant butters. While they often have the melting point and waxiness of lanolin, they lack the stickiness and water absorption.
These have a similar stickiness and effect on the skin as lanolin, absorb around 200% water, and they’re made with components found in plant oils!
Plant oils (and many animal fats) are triglycerides. They are made up of three fatty acids attached to a glycerol molecule.
Below is the structure of tristearin, a triglyceride found in nutmeg! The blue part of the molecule is the glycerol. The long chains are fatty acids, 3 stearic acids are shown.
The company uses a patented method using radio frequency heating and catalysts to rearrange the molecules and attach extra glycerol molecules to the fatty acids. The results are biodegradable, safe, and the whole process adheres to many of the tenants of green chemistry. They’re also ECOCERT and COSMOS approved.
Below is glyceryl stearate, which is 1 glycerol molecule (in blue) attached to 1 stearic acid (in red).
The samples are organized from thinnest to thickest from left to right, and these changes are made by attaching differing amounts of glycerol to the fatty acids, or rearranging them in different structures.
As an example, in the molecule below, 3 glycerol molecules have been chained together to form triglyceryl stearate
These are great for balms, adding extra emollience to moisturizers, and even for keeping pigments from lipsticks on your lips! The company has also done human trials on these that have shown they have a long-term effect on moisture levels in the skin – similar to lanolin!
I’ve been reading about the effects that skin pH has on our skin – mainly what happens when we increase the skin’s pH. Historically skin pH wasn’t seen as a foundational component to skin health, but more recent research seems to be indicating that it, in fact, is.
The enzymes kallikrein 5 and 7, β-glucocerebrosidase and sphingomyelinase are involved in sloughing of the skin, as well as creating skin lipids. They function best at certain pHs, and the pH gradient from close to pH 7 in the deeper layers of the skin to pH 4-6 in the upper layers of the skin modulates their function throughout the skin.
Bacteria found on our skin grow at different rates depending on the pH. Changing the pH of the skin can lead to the proliferation of certain species of bacteria. P. acnes bacteria and S. areus grow faster at a closer to neutral pH. Skin’s naturally produced antibiotic, dermicidin, is less effective at a closer to neutral pH as well.
An experiment where they lowered the pH of the skin found an enhancement of skin barrier function, measured by water loss through evaporation from the skin.
Low pH products may be especially important for people who have impaired skin function such as atopic dermatitis and acne.
This isn’t to say that pH is the only factor that produces benefits from a product, but it is one that should be considered. Some active ingredients may not be compatible with low pH. Niacinamide isn’t stable when stored in low pH solutions, and uncoated organic sunscreens like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide clump in acidic solutions reducing UV protection.
It can be difficult to accurately find out the pH of products at home, but I did come across this paper which examined the pH of various skin creams available in the US, and I thought it might be useful to share!
How they measured pH: A pea sized amount of moisturizer was placed on a piece of wax paper then measured with a Hanna HI 99191 probe at 25 °C. The measurements were taken 5 times and then averaged.
Aquanil® Lotion
5.19 ± 0.04
Aquanil® HC
6.35 ± 0.12
Aquaphor® Ointment
6.82 ± 0.20
Aveeno® Daily Moisturizing Lotion
5.62 ± 0.01
Aveeno® Advanced Care Moisturizing Cream
6.35 ± 0.03
Aveeno® Positively Radiant Daily Moisturizer
5.54 ± 0.04
Aveeno® Skin Relief Moisturizing Lotion
4.88 ± 0.02
Aveeno® Skin Relief Moisturizing Lotion With Menthol
5.46 ± 0.02
Cerave® Moisturizing Cream
5.49 ± 0.02
Cerave® Moisturizing Lotion
5.68 ± 0.02
CeraVe® Facial Moisturizing Lotion PM
5.95 ± 0.01
Cetaphil® Moisturizing Cream
4.71 ± 0.02
Cetaphil® Restoraderm Skin Restoring Moisturizer
5.94 ± 0.02
Cetaphil® Daily Advance Ultrahydrating Lotion
5.65 ± 0.01
Dove® Day Lotion
6.47 ± 0.02
DML® Forte Body Moisturizing Cream
5.94 ± 0.08
DML® Moisturizing Lotion
6.55 ± 0.01
Epiceram®
5.45 ± 0.01
Eucerin® Calming Cream
5.41 ± 0.02
Eucerin® Menthol Itch Relief Lotion
4.81 ± 0.03
Eucerin® Original Dry Skin Therapy Cream
8.01 ± 0.04
Eucerin® Original Dry Skin Therapy Lotion
5.97 ± 0.03
Eucerin® Intensive Repair Body Cream
5.98 ± 0.03
Eucerin® Intensive Repair Body Lotion
8.19 ± 0.03
Neosalus® Cream
7.40 ± 0.10
Theraplex® Emollient For Severely Dry Skin
4.62 ± 0.18
Vanicream® Moisturizing Skin Cream
4.27 ± 0.05
Vanicream® Light Moisturizing Lotion
3.73 ± 0.03
Vaseline® Intensive Rescue Skin Protectant Body Lotion
4.30 ± 0.02
Though I sincerely apologize for the delay in getting answers back you.
I’ve noticed some people send in messages anonymously, and unfortunately I can’t seem to always respond privately to you. If you wish to have your question answered privately or anonymously you can always email me.
One of the most frequent questions I get asked is, “How do I get a job in the cosmetic industry?”. I thought the best way to answer this was to interview people within the industry and let them share their background, experience, and how they got where they are.
My first interview is with Dan, a process engineer at Estée Lauder.
Formulations created at a small scale, such as a beaker, can often encounter problems when scaled up to production size.
A process engineer’s role is to help foresee these problems and troubleshoot them – ensuring that the formula looks and functions the same at any production level.
What was your education background?
Chemical engineering
Did you want to work in the cosmetic industry?
I majored in chemical engineering because I like chemistry and I wanted a job in the consumer goods industry (specifically food). It did not cross my mind that I could be a chemical engineer in the cosmetic industry initially. But I was exposed to chemical engineering opportunities in the cosmetic industry through my college’s alumni network and was immediately hooked on the idea.
How long have you been employed in the cosmetic industry?
7 months to date
What is your role at Estée Lauder?
Process engineer
What did you do yesterday at work?
Refreshed my knowledge of our up-scale methods in a class taught by a Vice President of the Engineering Department. Worked with a formulating chemist to discuss the next phase of up-scaling a formula for market launch.
What sort of projects do you work on?
My focus is scaling up skin-care products like moisturizers, toners, masks, cremes, SPFs, acne treatments, etc.
Do you see yourself moving around in the company? What sort of position would you like to be in, if not this one?
DEFINITELY. I chose to work for a large company for the option to move around and explore different departments. I see myself learning the business and joining the marketing team.
Besides your own job, what other interesting jobs do you see within the company?
Marketing, supply chain, innovation, and corporate strategy
Biggest perk of working at
Estée Lauder?
Industry exposure, technical and business knowledge training, and future opportunity
What would you suggest to someone who’s currently an undergrad who wants to work in the cosmetic industry?
Be flexible in your job search. Unfortunately, HR functions very slowly. Patience is key. Keep in touch with all your career contacts. I got my job because a neighbor struck up a random conversation with my father and happened to know someone who worked at Estée. Any connection, no matter how random, can land you that dream job.
Latest Blog Posts