The best cosmetic chemists know that formulations and formula changes need constant attention. One formula change is never easy, and can lead to new issues in stability, texture or compatibility. Enter the plasticizers! Plasticizers work to enhance consistency, stability, and texture in a wide variety of systems.
Plasticizers Smooth the Formulation Road
Got a grainy stick? Crystallization giving you frustration? Syneresis causing launch delays? The right plasticizer can take it all away! In Koster Keunen’s 182 years of experimenting with wax chemistry, we have spent countless hours working on these formulation issues. And plasticizers offer some of the best solutions for some of the most common and most aggravating issues in cosmetic chemistry. So, if it’s stability you are seeking in your gel matrix or in varying thermal conditions, you will want to take a closer look at Kester Wax K-60P and Kester Wax K82-P. And read on for a spoiler alert: a third plasticizer is on its way to the market for more nuanced options.
Our Kester Wax plasticizers share the features of creating stability and improving feel. They deliver increased control to your formulators, whether your systems are more complex or require extraordinary finesse to make simple systems scale up. Need to keep your cool as environments heat up? Plasticizers increase thermal stability as well.
Featured Formulas: Plasticizers Serving up Protection and Correction
The distinctive chracteristic of plasticizers shows in the myriad ways they make good formulations better. The stick chassis is great. It is handy, hardy, and anhydrous. But the right plasticizer makes it work harder for you. In Calming Bouquet Natural Deodorant, Kester Wax K-60P preserves stability in this sample stick formulation, while contributing to flexibility and a smooth pay-off. Feel is so important in personal care products, and the creamy texture of this natural, vegan formula shows off the importance of choosing the right plasticizer.
Calming Bouquet Natural Deodorant
| Ingredient Trade Name | INCI Name | % |
| Phase A | ||
| Kester Wax K-62 | Stearyl Behenate | 13.0 |
| Kester Wax K-60P | Polyhydroxystearic Acid | 5.0 |
| AR Cocoa Butter1 | Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Butter | 12.5 |
| Kester Wax K-24 | Lauryl Laurate | 6.0 |
| Extra Virgin Coconut Oil | Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil | 24.5 |
| Sodium bicarbonate | Sodium bicarbonate | 12.0 |
| Tapioca Natural | Tapioca Starch | 20.0 |
| Agenaflo 9050 | Corn Starch Modified | 5.0 |
| Rosemary Oil | Rosmarinus Officinalis Oil | 0.5 |
| Floviva Lavandin Oil | Lavandula Hybrida Oil | 0.5 |
| Vitamin E Acetate | Tocopheryl Acetate | 1.0 |
Synergy is when a product achieves a newfound popularity and your range is ready to go—on trend and on time. With Kester Wax K-82P, our Daily Pot Corrector and Concealer example formulation displays the benefits of both timeliness and the timeless quality of color cosmetics. It offers a unisex concealer with the creaminess and consistency that Kester Wax K-82P imparts. Improvements in film-forming, color distribution, and thermal stability are attributes that never go out of style. With the focus on minimalism and understated beauty, the base must be right. Pick the plasticizer that gives your product line consistent results.
Daily Pot Corrector and Concealer
| Ingredient Trade Name | INCI Name | % |
| Phase A | ||
| Enhans SB-63 | Bis-PEG-12 Dimethicone Beeswax | 15.5 |
| SynKos 2060 | Synthetic Wax | 3.0 |
| Kester Wax K-24 | Lauryl Laurate | 5.5 |
| Kester Wax K-82P | C18-38 Alkyl Hydroxystearoyl Stearate | 6.0 |
| Jeechem OP | Octyl Palmitate | 10.0 |
| Belsil PDM 20 | Trimethylsiloxyphenyl Dimethicone | 12.0 |
| Phase B | ||
| Jeechem CTG | Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride | 18.0 |
| Titanium Dioxide | Titanium Dioxide CI 77891 | 14.8 |
| Unipure Black LC 989 | Iron Oxides CI 77499 | 0.2 |
| Unipure Red LC 381 | Iron Oxides CI 77491 | 0.76 |
| Unipure Yellow LC 182 | Iron Oxides CI 77492 | 2.44 |
| Mica Sericite | Mica | 3.8 |
| Phase C | ||
| Permethyl 99A | Isododecane | 8.0 |
Simple Solutions for Complex Formulas
Within the Kester Wax family of plasticizers, Koster Keunen offers the natural option of Kester Wax K-60P, which is particularly well suited to formulations with a firmer chassis, and synthetic Kester Wax K-82P, which does its best work in cream and gel systems. But if you find that your formulation fits a slightly different niche, we are excited to say that we will be announcing our newest plasticizer, Kester Wax K-70P very soon!
Contact Us About Plasticizers
If you find that your formulations need a texture rescue, or your systems are trending toward sustainability, We Have a Wax for That. If you would like to learn more contact us to start a conversation.
About Koster Keunen
Koster Keunen has been working with wax since 1852 and has used our extensive experience and knowledge base to continuously develop new chemistries. Whether you are developing a new product, or need help with a reformulation or replacement, contact us to learn more about how we source, refine or develop waxes so you can create the perfect formula.
