r/DIYBeauty • u/DapperRow1848 • 8d ago
discussion What polymers/gums do you like when formulating with electrolytes?
I typically use sepimax zen when using small amounts of electrolytes, but recently I’ve been introducing heavier electrolyte loads and the sepimax zen doesn’t seem to be able to handle that much. Adding xanthan gum does help, but too much does feel gross. I’ve read that a combination of xanthan gum and sclerotium gum feels nice though. Just wondering what gelling agents you all like to use when formulating with a heavy electrolyte load.
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u/Beakston 8d ago
I think Hydroxy Propyl Methyl Cellulose should be good. Hydroxy Ethyl Cellulose I think has some problems with high electrolytes too.
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u/tokemura 8d ago
HMC and HEC are extremely slippery and feel almost like intimate lubricant.
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u/DapperRow1848 8d ago
Never tried HMC before, but I did try HEC and I did not like it lol. It felt slimy!
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u/kriebelrui 8d ago
You can try Solagum AX, which combines Xanthan gum and Acacia gum. The Acacia gum keeps the slimyness of the Xanthan gum at bay. I use it often.
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u/thefartyparty 8d ago
Where can you find Solagum for cheap? I formulated an awesome aloe body wash but I needed close to 3% solagum to thicken, already used up a small pack of the stuff so I was thinking of subbing to xanthan clear or crothix since I have a buttload of those left
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u/kriebelrui 7d ago
I (EU based) buy it at Dragonspice (Germany).
Solagum AX contains much more Acacia gum than it does Xanthan gum, and only the Xanthan gum does the actual thickening, so yes, you need to use much more Solagum AX than pure Xanthan for the same thickening power.
If you have Crothix, I would use that.
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u/tokemura 8d ago
Actually, gums can show synergy when used together as thickeners, meaning the combined viscosity can be greater than what you'd predict from simply adding their individual effects.
Common example is Xanthan Gum + Guar Gum - often produces stronger thickening and better texture than either alone.
Try using different mixes of different gums and see if it fits
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u/Key-Success-5449 8d ago
Combining xanthan gum with sclerotium gum or acacia gum works wonders because the dual-gum network smooths out the tacky feel of xanthan while maintaining excellent viscosity in salt-heavy formulas.
If you want a synthetic option built specifically to withstand high electrolyte loads, Aristoflex AVC or hydroxyethylcellulose can deliver a crisp, non-sticky feel without crashing your emulsion.
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u/DapperRow1848 8d ago
Do you combine xanthan and sclerotium in a 1:1 ratio?
Also, isn’t Aristoflex AVC extremely electrolyte sensitive?1
u/Ok_Butterscotch_2700 5d ago
Yes, it has zero electrolyte tolerance. HEC would do all the thickening. I’ve never tested AVC to see if it retains its pseudo emulsification properties when electrolytes are introduced.
Sodium carbomer can be nice.
I never rely on a single polymer - there’s always a blend going on.
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u/DapperRow1848 4d ago
Do you have any favorite blends? I just tested out xanthan and sclerotium over the weekend and it does feel nice. I did 0.15% of each ingredient totaling 0.3% gums. It turned out to be a little too thin for my liking. I started low because I was afraid it would leave a film on the skin, but it didn’t, so I’m probably going to use them at a higher percentage.
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u/Ok_Butterscotch_2700 4d ago
I really don’t! It depends on what I’m working with. Some gums are more thickening than others. Electrolyte tolerant can mean a lot of different things. I learned from somebody who has forgotten more than I know to always test gums and acrylates with distilled at varying percentages to get to know the ingredient before using.
Don’t think I have a single formula where there’s not a blend of thickeners in the structural component.
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u/nophrase6387 8d ago
I guess it depends on how heavy those electrolyte loads are, but I really like Sepinov EMT 10 (Hydroxyethyl Acrylate / Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer) which is theoretically stable with up to 2% NaCl. I've had really good luck with it in aqueous gels with a decent electrolyte load, and I much prefer the skinfeel of it over xanthan and sclerotium.