Emulsifying Wax (Vegetable)

Vegetable-based emulsifying wax is a crucial ingredient in cosmetic formulations, especially for creating stable emulsions where water and oil are combined. It helps bind water and oil phases together, preventing them from separating and resulting in a smooth, creamy texture. One common type of vegetable-based emulsifying wax consists of a combination of Cetearyl Alcohol and Ceteareth-20.

Cetearyl Alcohol (INCI: Cetearyl Alcohol) is a fatty alcohol derived from vegetable sources, often obtained from coconut or palm oil. Despite its name, it is not drying like typical alcohols; instead, it has emollient properties, making it beneficial for the skin. Cetearyl Alcohol acts as a co-emulsifier, working in conjunction with Ceteareth-20 to stabilize the emulsion.

Ceteareth-20 (INCI: Ceteareth-20) is a polyethylene glycol ether of Cetearyl Alcohol. It is created by ethoxylating Cetearyl Alcohol, which means it undergoes a process that adds ethylene oxide molecules to the alcohol, resulting in a water-soluble compound. Ceteareth-20 acts as a surfactant, lowering the surface tension between water and oil, allowing them to mix together more effectively.

The combination of Cetearyl Alcohol and Ceteareth-20 is highly effective in creating oil-in-water emulsions, where oil droplets are dispersed throughout a continuous water phase. This type of emulsion is commonly used in various cosmetic products like lotions, creams, and moisturizers.

To use this vegetable-based emulsifying wax in formulations, it is usually melted together with the oil phase and water phase at an appropriate temperature (typically around 70-80°C) while stirring to create the emulsion. As the mixture cools down, the emulsifying wax helps maintain the stability of the emulsion, ensuring that the water and oil phases stay combined.