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Inverse Emulsions By: Ken Klein, Cosmetech Labs Posted: February
1, 2010, from the February 2010 issue of Cosmetics & Toiletries.
Editor’s note: Cosmetics & Toiletries presents "Formulate This,”
a new column highlighting commonly asked formulating questions
with answers provided by seasoned industry experts. This feature
is designed to provide cosmetic chemists and formulators with
ideas and advice to solve formulating challenges. To submit a
question, e-mail FormulateThis@allured.com. Question: I’m trying
to understand cosmetic emulsion inversion. What actually happens
inside the emulsion at the phase borders? Answer: First,
remember the HLB system. For ethoxylated emulsifiers, as the
temperature increases, the HLB decreases--i.e., they switch from
o/w emulsifiers at a low temperature to w/o emulsifiers at a
high temperature. When an oil phase is added to a water phase,
an o/w emulsion is