Emulsan and Myristyl myristate

[makingskincare]

I decided to do an experiment and take my normal very thick body butter recipe and substitute a couple of ingredients to see what they bring.

I use a variety of emulsifier pairings for my body butters - one of these is glyceryl stearate with cetearth-20. For this experiment, I changed the glyceryl stearate and put emulsan in it's place. So the emulsifiers were emulsan + cetearth-20.

The other change I made was to replace my usual 4% cetyl alcohol with 4% myristyl myristate.

So I only made 2 changes from my usual v thick/viscous body butter recipe.

I was surprised to see that the emulsion was very thin, very fluid. I'm wondering whether it's the myristyl myristate ?? and I'm guessing emulsan is also a thin emulsifier, possibly produces thin emulsions than glyceryl stearate??.

I'm also wondering if I had replaced 4% cetyl alcohol with 4% cetyl palmitate what effect that would have had in viscosity and feel??

Would be grateful to hear your opinions on this. Thanks so much.

[Heike]

I agree with you: For my experience Emulsan show lower »viskosity power« than Glyceryl Stearate. Myristyl Myristate based on C-14 Fatty Acids, they are shorter than C-16 Fatty Acids bounded in Cetyl Alkohol – and causes lower viskosity.

In replacing 4% cetyl alcohol with 4% cetyl palmitate you'll notice a few differences in viskosity but in haptic: For my experience Cetyl Palmitate has a smoother and more soft feel. Cetyl Alcohol – that's my impression – feels more dry and … »stopping«.

[makingskincare]

Thank you so much Heike.

So it looks like in order of thickness/highest viscosity it is: 1. cetyl alcohol then, 2. cetyl palmitate and lastly 3. myristyl myristate.

Would you say cetyl palmitate and myristyl myristate both feel more dry and powdery than cetyl alcohol?

I'm also wondering what the main difference, other than viscosity, in feel/texture of cetyl palmitate is compared to myristyl myristate?