You have seen them in our homemade cosmetics recipes, texture agents are essential for the production of cosmetic products. But then what are they? And what exactly are they for? We detail the actions and properties of these, as well as their origin so that they no longer have any secrets for you!
beeswax
Let's start with beeswax , one of the most common consistency factors in our receipts.
Beeswax is a natural emulsifier . It brings consistency to your products, shine and allows the hold of balms and other greasy substances. But not only since it is also a protector (also called filmogenic ) which limits skin dehydration by acting against the evaporation of water in the tissues. It is also known for its nourishing and softening properties.
This wax is secreted by the glands of bees. This is used by bees to arrange the combs of hives in order to store honey and pollen.
Beeswax is obtained by treating it with a non-chemical bleaching process to obtain a white and clear color. In this color it is pure and ready to use.
In terms of its composition, beeswax contains fatty acid esters and miscellaneous long chain alcohols.
It is one of the few to have a plastic texture at low temperature and to have a high compatibility in contact with oil and other waxes. Due to this strong compatibility, it is very easy to use in all our formulas. In emulsions, it makes it possible to stabilize the emulsions . It also helps to increase the substance and shine of our balms and lipsticks.
Know that thanks to its viscoelastic texture, wax is also widely used in decorative formulations to improve texture, firmness and mold release.
But not only ! Also in food, pharmacy, for the protection of furniture, and paintings, and in decoration to make your candles for example.
Smooth cream emulsifier
Our Creamy Cream Emulsifier is derived from olive oil and is widely used in our face creams to create thick and creamy textures. Approved by the labels Ecocert And COSMOS, it is fully biodegradable. An ingredient good for the environment and your skin!
Our emulsifier consists of anionic surfactants , derived from plant materials. Particularly eudermic, it brings a very pleasant touch to your preparations. Perfectly adapted to all emulsions, it gives your finished product a delicate and emollient touch, as is the case in our recipe for fluid cream. It is also incorporated into home cosmetics recipes for lotions, aftershaves, eye contour creams and make-up products.
It has the advantage, like beeswax, of being perfectly compatible with many vegetable oils which, as you know, are widely used in natural cosmetics.
Recommended for dry skin and for people who want a smooth cream, comparable to the texture most frequently found on the market. When you use the creamy cream emulsifier, we strongly advise you to run an additional blue program in order to homogenize the cream and thicken it if necessary.
Fluid cream emulsifier
This emulsifier, e xclusively derived from vegetable raw materials, allows the easy production of fine emulsions with rapid penetration and whose texture has a perfect affinity with the skin.
It is made from all- natural , certified organic ingredients. Like the smooth cream emulsifier, it is completely biodegradable!
Our emulsifier makes it possible to finely disperse the vegetable oils used in our recipes in the water, thus creating a homogeneous and very soft cream texture. It also has a protective action and is considered an active ingredient with many moisturizing properties. It is emollient and brings a silky, non-greasy feel to homemade cosmetic creams.
Particularly recommended for all types of products such as creams, body milks, after-shave care and others.
The emulsifier for fluid cream makes it possible to obtain a more fluid cream, a “less greasy” texture with a cloudy appearance, which can in fact give a “foam” texture which over time will “debubble”.
Cocoa butter
We already wrote a blog post on cocoa butter but we had to mention it among our best texture agents. So here is again some information on this one but to know more, we invite you to read this article.
This one comes from the west coast of Africa. Very stable once incorporated into a recipe, it does not oxidize thanks to its predominance in saturated fat . Cocoa beans also contain high amounts of polyphenols . It is also made up of ferulic acid which gives that cocoa flavor that we love so much! These help the cells of the body to fight against free radicals. It also has strong moisturizing properties, it restores elasticity and tone to the skin by stimulating the synthesis of collagen.
Solid at room temperature and in the form of pellets, it is very easy to handle and incorporate into our recipes, especially lip balms, of rich creams or massage balm...
Thickening
Of natural origin, this thickener makes it possible to create the best gel textures and also serves as a stabilizer in the recipes of creams and gives them the necessary slip for a good application.
Also called Xanthan , it is made from polymers of natural sugars produced through biotechnology. This is a fermentation of beet, cane or corn sugar by bacteria called Xanthomonas Campestris which are not genetically modified. It is then dried and ground into a powder form to make it easier to use.
This thickener is also guaranteed GMO -free. It is accepted as Ecocert in the formulation of certified organic cosmetics.
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Now that you know all about our thickeners, we invite you to learn more about our other ingredients! Do you know our hydrolats? A very comprehensive blog post covers just this topic here !