Thickener Sepimax Zen 30 g

Sepimax Zen is an innovative polymer for skin care and personal care products

Sepimax Zen from French manufacturer Seppic is a pre-neutralised polymer that creates transparent gels or works as a thickener and stabiliser in emulsions and surfactant systems. The thickener is compatible with large quantities of alcohol and is an excellent choice for the creation of sanitisers. 

Characteristics of the component and specifics of use

INCI: Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6

Appearance: white to slightly coloured powder.

Dosage (percentage of input into cosmetics): 0.15 - 5% (on average 0.15 - 3% dosage is used)

• up to 3% as a thickener and stabiliser
• 0.5 - 1.5% as a texturising agent in cleansing formulas.

Solubility: in water or oil

Speciality of use: recommended pH for finished products should be within 3.0 - 8.0. Resistant to salts (up to 10% NaCl) and ethanol (up to 100%). To create an aqueous gel, the thickener should be added to the water and stirred constantly. To create a cream gel, you can add the thickener to both water and oil, and then pour the water phase into the oil phase or vice versa. The cream gel can be created hot and cold.

Regulatory information: CHINA IECIC 2021, Halal certified & Vegan suitable, not microplastic, completely biodegradable (79% biodegradation in 28 days).

Storage: long-term storage is recommended in a dark place at temperatures up to +25 °C, protect from direct sunlight and moisture.

Characteristics and features

Sepimax Zen thickener, created using an innovative technology patented by SEPPIC, is a new generation thickening, stabilising and texturising powder polymer. It has maximum resistance to electrolytes and can be used for creative and relaxed formulation. The component is an ideal polymer for creating the ‘backbone’ of formulations and solving the problems associated with working with complex active ingredients. It forms clear gels with a velvety, rich and elegant feel. Sepimax Zen is versatile and can be used in both skin care and hygiene products.

Electrolyte and acid resistant gelling agent

Sepimax Zen shows unique stability of finished aqueous and emulsion systems in the presence of high amounts of electrolytes and difficult to work with active ingredients. For example, the experiment showed that there was no change in viscosity of the finished gel prepared with demineralised water and different types of thermal water. Sepimax Zen 2.25% showed a viscosity of 65,000 mP.a.s. in demineralised water and a viscosity of 58,000 to 69,000 mP.a.s. in different types of thermal water. All samples were completely transparent.

Below is a comparative table of the viscosity of the aqueous gel and the emulsion system, which included Sepimax Zen and different active ingredients that can reduce the viscosity of the final product.

Emulsifying and stabilising ability

Sepimax Zen thickener is capable of creating cream gels and binding up to 30% of the fatty phase, but it is better to stick to the rule of thumb of up to 15% of the fatty phase. Moreover, such emulsions do not lose or reduce their viscosity even when 2% NaCl is added. The good emulsifying and stabilising properties of Sepimax Zen are also maintained in the presence of large amounts of glycols or solvents. Sepimax Zen easily emulsifies and stabilises 18% of the oil phase with 13% of sunscreens without additional emulsifier assistance. Its oil-stabilising properties remain good even in the presence of chemical sunscreens (tested at a Sepimax Zen concentration of 2%). From this you can conclude that you can easily create SPF cream gels with this thickener in a cold process.

Suspending properties of Sepimax Zen

In order to create a visually beautiful cosmetic, it is important to find the right gel thickener that will have the ability to hold suspended particles in the finished gel. Sepimax Zen starts working at a minimum input percentage of 0.15% and can hold scrubbing particles as well as pigments, Mica and glitters. An aqueous gel with 0.15% Sepimax Zen is capable of suspending up to 0.5% of particles (size 600 µm to 2 mm, density 0.5 to 0.9 g/cm3), while it is better to use 0.4% Sepimax Zen to suspend glitters.

High compatibility with different solvents

Sepimax Zen has a very high compatibility with a wide range of solvents, alcohol, glycols, inorganic sunscreens and aluminium salts. The graph below shows the test results with some of the solvents and their maximum allowable % water. As you can see, with some of them Sepimax Zen allows you to create waterless gels, for example with ethanol, glycerin or pentylene glycol. 

From this you can conclude that Sepimax Zen is an ideal gelling agent for the production of nail polish removers, alcohol sanitisers and deodorants.

However, Sepimax Zen is not compatible with Aluminum Chlorohydrate and Aluminum Chloride in the monovarietal formulation, so Sepimax Zen must be combined with Solagum Tara (INCI: Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum), or emulsifiers such as MONTANOV 202 must be added to the formulation.

Preparation of transparent and stable sanitisers

In the context of COVID-19, alcohol-based hand sanitisers with an ethanol content greater than 60% by volume or 70% by volume isopropanol are recommended for hand hygiene and as a disinfectant. Sepimax Zen preserves the virulicidal efficacy of ethanol in the disinfectant and allows the creation of 2 types of sanitisers: water-based gel hand sanitisers, and cream-gel hand sanitisers with added emollients that give the feeling of a protective film on the skin! The result of any type of formula with Sepimax Zen is clear, non-sticky, sensorially pleasant and with good skin tolerance. Below is a comparison chart of 3 different formulas: a cream gel containing Triheptanoin emollient (LANOL 37 T) and glycerin, an aqueous gel containing glycerin and a formula prepared with carbomer.

Compatibility with different types of surfactants

Sepimax Zen thickens both types of surfactants, both anionic and non-ionogenic surfactants, as well as classical and sulphate-free surfactants. Sepimax Zen shows excellent compatibility with Xanthan Gum. Thus, 0.75% Sepimax Zen + 0.25% Xanthan Gum gives the tested shampoo formula a viscosity of 3,000 mP.a.s., and 0.5% Sepimax Zen + 0.5% Xanthan Gum - 6,300 mP.a.s. Sepimax Zen also provides some benefits to the foam: it thickens and texturises it, increases the density and stability of the foam, makes the foam softer and creamier.
 

Application in intimate hygiene and oral care products

Sepimax Zen provides excellent tolerance of up to 2% on the vaginal epithelium (in indelible products) and up to 2.5% on the gingival epithelium.

The advantage of using Sepimax Zen

• pre-neutralised powder
• allows it to be handled both cold and hot
• wide pH range: 3.0 - 8.0
• multifunctional use: thickening of water systems, stabilisation of emulsions and texturing of emulsions
• extremely resistant to electrolytes with salt content up to 10%
• forms fully transparent aqueous gels
• excellent suspended solids holding capacity
• compatible with ethanol (allows the creation of sanitisers) and other solvents, surfactants, acids, zinc pyrithione, sunscreens, pigments, etc.
• excellent vaginal tolerance.
   

In which cosmetic products Sepimax Zen is included

• any face and body care products
• sunscreen cosmetics
• hair care
• decorative and mineral cosmetics
• personal care products (shampoo, shower gel, facial cleanser, intimate hygiene, water-alcohol gels).

Handmade cosmetics recipes, formulas and reviews

It is very difficult to create your own correct recipes if you are new to cream maker. And we are ready to help you with this. Go to the YouTube channel Beurre Cosmetic Kitchen, where we have already developed many recipes for handmade cosmetics and share the technology for making cosmetics with our own hands. And also you can check Blog from Beurre, where we share useful information about creating the right natural cosmetics.