Steareth-2 as a Co-Emulsifier for Rich Cream Formulations
Emulsifiers are often the invisible support in the formula, silently determining the consistency and texture of the cream.Today we will talk about OILREE® MY92‑B, a high‑quality co-emulsifying raw material designed for moisturizing creams, which is the common Steareth‑2 in the formula, and see how this white waxy cosmetic Raw material can become the preferred partner for high-moisturizing cream formulas. Partner.
What is OILREE®MY92‑B (Steareth‑2)?
OILREE® MY92‑B, INCI is named Steareth‑2, the appearance is white waxy, the safety level is marked 1-3 green, and the standard packaging is 10kg/box. It is a very classic nonionic emulsifier in cosmetic formulas. It is also an ethoxylated derivative of fatty alcohol. The core positioning in the system is an emulsifier, and it is rarely used alone as the main emulsifier.
From the structural point of view, Steareth‑2 is synthesized by the addition of stearyl alcohol and a small amount of ethylene oxide. It is a mild nonionic surfactant. The molecule has both oleophilic and weakly hydrophilic properties. The HLB value is low and it is more oleophilic. This is also the core reason why it is suitable as a rich formula to help emulsify.There are compliance addition ranges in both resident and leaching products, and formulators do not need to worry about filing risks when using them. It is a safe, mature and widely adaptable basic emulsified raw material.
Many friends who are new to formula can easily confuse the “main emulsifier” and the “co-emulsifier”. Simply put: the main emulsifier is responsible for building the basic framework for mixing water and oil, while the co‑emulsifier like MY92‑B (Steareth‑2) is responsible for strengthening the frame, adjusting the texture, and optimizing the skin feeling. It is like the steel bars when building a house. It is inconspicuous but essential to make the entire Oil in water emulsion system more solid and durable.
Why can Steareth‑2 (MY92‑B) be used for rich face cream?
The core needs of products such as rich face cream, body lotion, and night cream are high moisturizing, dense texture, smooth application, and long‑term use without layering. These pain points are precisely the strengths of MY92-B.
1. Strong support for emulsification stability
One of the most headache problems for formulators is that high-oil formulas are easy to layering, effluent, and thinning in texture, especially rich creams that add a lot of natural oils and emollient esters, and the water-oil balance is difficult to control.As an oleophilic co‑emulsifier, Steareth‑2 can quickly blend into the oil phase, reduce the interfacial tension of water and oil, and assist the main emulsifier to form a denser and firmer emulsifying film, so that the oil droplets are dispersed more evenly, even if stored for a long time and undergo temperature changes, it can maintain the stability of the system, no oil analysis, no water seepage, no agglomeration, and greatly improve the product shelf life pass rate.
The emulsifying effect of steareth‑2alone is limited. Its advantage lies in its combination. After being combined with a high HLB emulsifier, it can quickly form a stable oil-in-Water system, which is specially adapted to cream formulas that require high moisture.
2. Optimize the consistency of ointment physique
Common problems with inferior creams: the cream is rough, agglomerated, and has poor ductility. It rubs mud or pulls the skin when applied.MY92‑B has a white waxy texture. After adding the oil phase to heat and melt, it can be evenly dispersed in the system to help the oil phase components better blend, making the cream dense, delicate and uniform, while improving the firmness of the cream to avoid being too thin or sticky, so that the cream presents a high-level sense of plumpness rather than greasy, which is also the core texture pursued by high-end moisturizing creams.
3. Help oil fusion
Plump face creams are usually combined with a large number of
Cosmetic Emollients, such as mineral oils, vegetable oils, synthetic esters, silicone oils, etc. The more complex the oil phase composition, the more likely it is to be incompatible and unevenly dispersed.MY92-B has strong compatibility and can be adapted to a variety of oil phases such as vegetable oils and synthetic oils to help different types of oils blend evenly, avoid oil phase stratification or oil slick, and make the internal structure of the cream more stable. At the same time, improve the utilization rate of moisturizing ingredients, so that the moisturizing and repairing effects are more lasting.
4.Take into account moisturizing and skin feeling
Many formulators are caught in a dilemma: adding too much oil is too greasy, and adding too little is not moisturizing enough.Steareth‑2 can balance this problem well. It does not bring a sticky feeling by itself, but it can enhance the fullness and heaviness of the cream, creating a plump and not stuffy skin feeling. It is smooth and easy to push away when applied. After absorption, the skin is soft and delicate, and there will be no filminess or heavy burden. It is perfectly adapted to the needs of high-moisturizing creams in dry skin, autumn and winter skin care scenarios.
Which products is MY92‑B (Steareth‑2) most suitable for?
1. Moisturizing and enriching face cream: exclusive for dry skin, moisturizing face cream in autumn and winter, requires a dense texture and strong water‑locking ability. MY92-B can stabilize the high oil phase system and enhance the moisturizing and ductility of the cream.
2. Body butter/body lotion: The body's skin is drier and needs a heavy moisturizing feeling. Steareth‑2 can make the body lotion fuller in texture, longer-lasting moisturizing after application, and non-stick to clothes.
3. Cleansing makeup remover cream: Mainly based on the oil phase, it needs to be gently emulsified and easy to rinse. MY92‑B assists in emulsification, so that the cream melts smoothly during massage and does not dry out after cleaning.
4. Repair night cream: Night repair products, usually add high concentrations of repair oils and active substances, need to stabilize the emulsification system, MY92‑B guarantees the stability of the active substances, while improving skin comfort.
Core formula advantages of MY92-B
1. Perfect match with the main emulsifier
The most classic partner of steareth‑2 is steareth‑21. The two form a golden emulsifying pair. The former has low HLB and the latter has high HLB. After collocation, it can form a stable and durable
Oil in water emulsifier system, which is acid, alkali, and electrolyte resistant. It is suitable for adding a variety of active substances. It is one of the most commonly used emulsifying combinations for face creams and body creams. It has strong stability and controllable skin feeling.
2. Suitable for medium and high viscosity systems
Rich face cream and body butter are all medium and high viscosity products, and they need a suitable consistency to support the texture.MY92-B can assist in thickening, increase the viscosity of the system, make the paste firmer and textured, while maintaining the fluidity of the paste, facilitate production and filling, and will not be too viscous to cause processing difficulties, and adapt to the needs of industrial production.
3. Improve application ductility and optimize the experience of use
Whether a cream is good or not, skin feeling accounts for half of it.Steareth‑2 can reduce the frictional resistance of the cream, make the cream smoother and easier to push away when applied, reduce rubbing mud, stuck lines, stickiness and other problems, and the skin is soft and smooth after absorption, enhance the user experience, and make the product more competitive in terms of skin feeling.
Steareth-2 vs high HLB emulsifier (take steareth-21 as an example)
Many formulators will ask: it is also a stearyl alcohol polyether series. What is the difference between steareth‑2 and steareth‑21?Why do you use steareth‑2 for rich face cream?
Simple summary: steareth‑21 is responsible for emulsification, and steareth-2 is responsible for abundance and stability.
If you only use steareth‑21, the cream will easily be too refreshing, the texture will be too thin, and the plumping effect will not be achieved; after adding steareth‑2 the cream will immediately become dense, plump, and the stability will be greatly improved. This is the reason why plumping creams should be used with low HLB emulsifiers-high HLB is responsible for emulsification, low HLB is responsible for texture and stability, and the two complement each other to make a perfect plumping cream.
Why do you have to choose the right emulsifier for rich face cream?
Let's go back to the formula pain point: Why are many moisturizing creams either too thin, unstable, or too oily and have poor skin feeling?The core reason is the wrong choice and use of emulsifiers.
-The cream is too thin and easy to layer: the oil is relatively high, the emulsifier is insufficient or the lipophilicity is not enough, the emulsion film cannot be stabilized, and the water and oil are easy to separate.
-Rough texture and agglomeration: poor compatibility with emulsifiers, uneven dispersion of the oil phase, and loose structure of the paste.
-The skin feels sticky and stuffy: the combination of emulsifiers is improper, and the texture of the oil phase cannot be adjusted, and the oil accumulates on the surface of the skin.
-Poor stability and short shelf life: The emulsifier cannot support the system, and it is easy to demulsify at high and low temperatures.
The OILREE® MY92‑B (Steareth‑2) has a low HLB oleophilic structure, which is suitable for high-oil matching.The waxy texture accurately enhances the richness of the paste, and the non-ionic gentle structure is not irritating.It can be used as a golden partner with MY972‑B (steareth‑21) to build a stable oil in water emulsifier, which perfectly balances the three core needs of stability, texture, and skin feeling, so that rich cream is no longer a formula problem.
Hubei Mingya New Material Technology Co., Ltd.
