ABSTRACT
128When formulating an emulsion, the formulator has numerous choices to make in selecting the ingredients that will produce the desired qualities the formulator has been called upon to develop. Many ingredients are quite predictable in their contribution to the final product relative to viscosity, tactile qualities, appearance, rub-in, after-feel, irritation, odor, etc. An experienced formulator can generally select and formulate ingredients that will approximate the desired properties in a few days time. But selecting the system that will modify this complex mixture of ingredients into a stable, homogeneous, and elegant emulsion is usually the most elusive task of the entire process. Of course we are referring to those extremely complex chemical mixtures known as emulsifiers, and the search is more difficult because a pair works better than one. Besides, there are thousands from which the formulator can choose. Selection of the proper emulsifiers for a specific blend of particular ingredients can be a ponderous, confusing, and time-consuming process.
