As all formulators know, the challenge of creating an emulsion in cosmetic science is to achieve maximum stability combined with superior sensoriality. It is not enough to make a totally stable cream if the rheology or the feel of the product is wrong.
Formulating with natural emulsifier systems brings its own challenges; in a later section we will look at the advantages and disadvantages of natural versus synthetic emulsifiers and the specific issues that have to be addressed when using natural emulsifiers.
Types of emulsions
Standard emulsion
This is the sort of emulsion we learn about at school or college. Figure 1a shows a typical oil-in-water system, where tiny droplets of oil are dispersed in the continuous water phase. The water phase may or may not be thickened, but the aim of the emulsion is for the oil droplets to remain dispersed over a long period of time. This is generally achieved using an emulsifier, which sits on the interface between the oil and water, and prevents coalescence of the particles
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