RE: GMS SE and HLB

[Guest guest]

Marie,

It appears that Stepan has a typo on their site. GMS SE is an O/W

emulsifier. The sodium stearate or potassium stearate is the emulsifier

in GMS Self Emulsifying. To try to give this an HLB would be difficult

since the HLB system was developed to give chemists in working with

nonionic emulsifiers and the product is anionic. For a best guess this

would have an HLB approximately 15.

Young

KY Labs

Innovators of Fine Personal Products

www.kylabs.com

GMS SE and HLB

A couple of questions maybe someone can help with ...

I've been using GMS (I believe it's Stepan Glyceryl Stearate Pure) and

sodium stearate as the emulsion system in my creams. It creates a w/o

emulsion. It's been stable and I like it.

On the Stepan site, they list GMS Pure as having an HLB of 3.8.

They have another product (which I have purchased) called GMS SE. It

contains " potassium stearide " at about 5-6% with the GMS Pure. Their

information sheet states that it can be used as a primary emulsifier and

is use in o/w emulsions. They do not list the HLB value.

So the questions ...

Why would the GMS SE be for use in o/w emulsions when the HLB of GMS

Pure only 3.8? (Am I missing something important?)

Sodium Stearate is the sodium salt of stearic acid ... Potassium

stearate would be the potassium salt of stearic acid ... what is

potassium stearIDE?

Where can I find the HLB level for Potassium stearate, sodium stearate

(and other soaps)?

Thanks,

Marie

Marie Gale

Chandler's Soaps

www.chandlerssoaps.com

[Guest guest]

Thanks .

Stepan does say the GMS SE is for o/w emulsions, but the spec sheet for GMS

says that GMS Pure (no soaps added) has an HLB of 3.8 and when I've used it

with sodium stearate I do end up with a w/o emulsion.

Do soaps (ie sodium stearate or postassium stearate) make w/o or o/w

emulsions?

Marie

Marie Gale

Chandler's Soaps

www.chandlerssoaps.com

RE: GMS SE and HLB

> Marie,

>

> It appears that Stepan has a typo on their site. GMS SE is an O/W

> emulsifier. The sodium stearate or potassium stearate is the emulsifier

> in GMS Self Emulsifying. To try to give this an HLB would be difficult

> since the HLB system was developed to give chemists in working with

> nonionic emulsifiers and the product is anionic. For a best guess this

> would have an HLB approximately 15.

>

> Young

> KY Labs

> Innovators of Fine Personal Products

> www.kylabs.com

[Guest guest]

<< AFAIK, there is no such thing as Potassium Stearide or Potassium

Stearamide. Do you have additional info? >>

Maurice,

The only reference was on the Stepan Product Bulletin for Stepan GMS SE

which says "

" Stepan GMS SE is an anionic-modified ester made from the reaction of

glyderin and triple pressed stearic acid that contains some potassium

stearide. "

According to product bulletin, the INCI Name is " Glyceryl Stearate SE "

However, on the container itself, it says the product contains:

Glyceryl Monostearate (CAS 123-94-4)

Stearic Acid (CAS 57-11-4)

Potassium Stearate (CAS 593-29-31)

So I guess the Product bulletin should say Potassium StearATE, NOT potassium

stearIDE.

Another question on this ...

What's the difference between Glyceryl Stearate and Glyceryl MONOstearate?

And between GlycerYL Stearate and GlycerOL Stearate?

Marie

Marie Gale

Chandler's Soaps

www.chandlerssoaps.com

[Guest guest]

>What's the difference between Glyceryl Stearate and Glyceryl MONOstearate?

The name is the difference. Glyceryl Stearate is the INCI name.

>And between GlycerYL Stearate and GlycerOL Stearate?

Glycerol Stearate doesn't exist. Glycerol is another name for

Glycerin.

Glycol Stearate is an ester formed by reacting ethylene glycol and

stearic acid.

and

Glyceryl Stearate is the monoester of glycerin and stearic acid.

Maurice

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Maurice O. Hevey

Convergent Cosmetics, Inc.

http://www.ConvergentCosmetics.com

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