COCAMIDROPROPYL BETAINE

Lipids Part 1 of a series.

Last week subscribers enjoyed a FREE mini class where we made a WINTER BODY BALM.

This week we will begin our series on getting to know lipids to prepare for my E Book launching on COSMETIC CARRIER OILS & BUTTERS.

My goal is to teach you all how to formulate your own products safely and effectively. With the new version of the Blog underway, I have been busy preparing materials to get over to the web designer to upload in the new format.

Now lets dive into lipids!

Lipids exhibit hydrophobic properties, meaning they repel water and are attracted to oils, making them lipophilic. This solubility in oil but not in water characterizes lipid ingredients. Additionally, the polarity of lipids influences their solubility in different solvents. For instance, water, a highly polar solvent, dissolves polar ingredients like sugars and sodium lactate, while oils, being non-polar, dissolve nonpolar ingredients such as Vitamin E or essential oils.

In emulsions, lipids are typically incorporated into the heated oil phase. While most lipids can withstand heating without damage, carrier oils rich in unsaturated fatty acids are prone to oxidation, which can be accelerated by heating. To mitigate this, sensitive oils can be added during the cooling phase or supplemented with antioxidants in the heated oil phase.

Waxes and butters require heating to liquefy for proper mixing with other ingredients, each having its own melting temperature. Carrier oils and esters, already in liquid form, are still added to the oil phase to ensure stable emulsification. When blending carrier oils or esters in products like body oils or oil-based serums, there's no need for preheating as they remain liquid at room temperature.

Adjusting pH

ADJUSTING pH

To lower the pH of your product : A solution is made up of 50% citric acid and 50% distilled water. ( example: 50g of citric acid to 50g of water )

To increase pH of your product: A solution is made up of 10% Sodium Hydroxide and 90% water. ( example: 10g of water to 90g of water )

ALWAYS PLACE SODIUM HYDROXIDE POWDER INTO WATER AND NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND!!!!!!!

Test the pH of your product with pH strips ( or a hanna pH meter ) and adjust up or down if necessary using a pipette.