Oil-in-Water Emulsion Stabilized by Natural Gums and Polyelectrolyte
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current oil-in-water emulsions used in cosmetics and pharmacy often contain synthetic thickening polymers that can cause skin intolerance and are unsuitable for clear aqueous gels, especially in compositions rich in electrolytes or with colored pigments, leading to stability issues and undesirable sensory properties.
Innovation Solution
A composition comprising a crosslinked anionic polyelectrolyte, xanthan gum, and acacia gum, which forms a stabilizing system that maintains high viscosity and clarity without emulsifying surfactants, ensuring stability and pleasant sensory properties even in media rich in electrolytes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If synthetic thickening polymers are used to increase viscosity and stabilize emulsions, then the desired consistency and stabilizing effect are achieved, but skin intolerance reactions occur and the formulations are unsuitable for clear aqueous gels
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters by replacing synthetic polymers with natural gums (xanthan gum, acacia gum, guar gum) and modifies the formulation approach to achieve emulsion stability without the harmful effects of synthetic thickeners. This substitution maintains stabilizing functionality while eliminating skin intolerance issues.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses natural gums as biodegradable, naturally occurring alternatives to persistent synthetic polymers. These natural thickeners provide the necessary stabilization and viscosity enhancement while being safer for skin contact and environmentally friendly.
2Ease of operation
If synthetic thickeners in liquid form (reverse latex) are used for easy handling and quick dissolution, then ease of use and thickening performance are improved, but oil and surfactants induce skin intolerance and prevent clear gel formation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the harmful components (oil and surfactant phases) from the thickener formulation while retaining the beneficial thickening and stabilizing properties. By using pure natural gum powders dispersed in water, the formulation achieves clarity and skin compatibility without sacrificing ease of use.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state parameter from liquid reverse latex to powder form natural gums, and modifies the chemical composition by eliminating oil and surfactant phases. This allows the formulation to achieve both ease of handling and clear gel formation.
3Stability of the object's composition
If conventional synthetic thickeners are used to achieve high thickening performance, then viscosity and stabilizing properties are improved, but the formulations lack clarity and show poor stability in electrolyte-rich compositions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite formulations combining multiple natural gums (xanthan gum, acacia gum, guar gum) to achieve synergistic effects. This composite approach provides superior stability in electrolyte-rich media while maintaining clarity and preventing precipitation or phase separation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical composition from synthetic polymers to natural gum-based thickeners, which inherently provide better compatibility with electrolyte-rich formulations. This parameter change ensures reliability and stability in challenging formulation conditions such as those containing sunscreens, pigments, or plant extracts.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If natural gums are used as thickeners to achieve skin compatibility and clarity, then skin tolerance and gel clarity are improved, but the formulations may show reduced stability in electrolyte-rich compositions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple natural gums (xanthan gum, acacia gum, and/or guar gum) in specific proportions to create a composite thickening system that maintains skin compatibility and clarity while providing enhanced stability in electrolyte-rich formulations. The synergistic interaction between different gum types compensates for individual limitations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent develops a universal thickening and stabilizing system based on natural gums that performs multiple functions: providing viscosity, ensuring skin compatibility, maintaining gel clarity, and stabilizing formulations with high electrolyte content. This multi-functional approach eliminates the need for separate additives for each requirement.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The composition achieves stable, high-viscosity oil-in-water emulsions that remain clear and non-sticky, maintaining sensory appeal and stability over time, even in the presence of electrolytes, without the use of emulsifying surfactants.
Implementation Method 1
xanthan gum (GX), in a quantity from 0.0025% to 1% by weight, and acacia gum (GA), in a quantity from 0.0025% to 1% by weight
Implementation Method 2
said aqueous phase (P2) comprising for 100% of its mass from 1% to 10% by mass, more particularly from 1% to 8% by mass, and even more particularly from 1% to 4% by mass of at least one salt (S) in a form dissolved
Implementation Method 3
at least one crosslinked anionic polyelectrolyte (PA) resulting from the polymerization of partially or completely salified 2-methyl 2-[(1-oxo 2-propenyl) amino] 1-propanesulfonic acid
Implementation Method 4
at least one crosslinked anionic polyelectrolyte (PA) resulting from the polymerization of partially or completely salified 2-methyl 2-[(1-oxo 2-propenyl) amino] 1-propanesulfonic acid, with at least one neutral monomer
Implementation Method 5
at least one crosslinked anionic polyelectrolyte (PA) resulting from the polymerization of partially or completely salified 2-methyl 2-[(1-oxo 2-propenyl) amino] 1-propanesulfonic acid
Implementation Method 6
at least one crosslinked anionic polyelectrolyte (PA) resulting from the polymerization of partially or completely salified 2-methyl 2-[(1-oxo 2-propenyl) amino] 1-propanesulfonic acid, with at least one neutral monomer
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to an oil-in-water emulsion including, for 100% of the weight thereof: 5 to 55 wt % of an oil phase (P1) consisting of at least one oil and/or at least one wax; 0.06 to 4.5 wt % of at least one cross-linked anionic polyelectrolyte resulting from the polymerization of at least one monomer having a strong acid function, said monomer being partially or totally salified 2-methyl 2-[(1-oxo 2-propenyl) amino] 1-propanesulfonic acid, with at least one neutral monomer selected from the N,N-dialkyl acrylamides, wherein each of the alkyl groups comprise between one and four carbon atoms, and at least one monomer of formula (I), where R is a straight or branched alkyl radical comprising eight to twenty carbon atoms and n is a number no smaller than one and no larger than twenty, in the presence of at least one cross-linking agent; and 0.0025 to 1 wt % of xanthan gum (GX); 0.0025 to 1 wt % acacia gum (GA); 38.5 to 94.835 wt % of a cosmetically acceptable aqueous phase (P2), said aqueous phase (P) including, for 100% of the weight thereof, 1 to 10 wt % of at least one dissolved salt (S), and said composition (C1) being further characterized in that the weight ratio between the xanthan gum (GX) and the acacia gum (GA) is greater no less than 1/3 and no greater than 3/1. The invention also relates to the method for preparing such compositions, and to the use thereof in cosmetics.