110 RHEOLOGY MODIFIERS With ISD Gel Control
wetting and better dispersion. To evaluate the performance of the organoclay
gels dispersions of two representative inorganic, uncoated pigments were prepared: titanium dioxide and yellow iron oxide (Tables 1 and 2). Titanium dioxide was selected due to its
widespread use in products such as lipsticks and foundations, while yellow iron oxide was included because it is known to be particularly challenging to wet out. In these tests, poor flowability indicates stronger particle–particle interactions, poorer wetting, and ultimately less effective colour dispersion. The results demonstrate that when a
A B
Figure 1: 40% titanium dioxide dispersions in caprylic/capric triglyceride, with and without the ISD gel. (A) Dispersion with 7% ISD gel, showing a highly flowable texture. (B) Control dispersion without the ISD gel, showing a thick, non-flowable texture
ISD Gel Control ISD Gel Control
hectorite organoclay gel, Bentone® Ultimate IDS (hereafter, the ISD gel), is added to titanium dioxide dispersion, its pigment-wetting efficiency produces a highly flowable dispersion (Figure 1), while the control dispersion without the ISD gel results in a very thick, non-flowable dispersion. For the yellow iron oxide dispersions, the
control sample, without the ISD gel, applied as a film on both black and striped Leneta cards, using a film applicator (100 µm), shows visible agglomerates of yellow iron oxide (Figure 2). When the ISD gel was included, no iron
oxide agglomerates were observed and the film appeared more uniform overall. A uniformly distributed rough texture appeared across the film, which is attributed to the solid organoclay particles present in the ISD gel. The solid organoclay particles form a
A B A B
Figure 2: 5% yellow iron oxide dispersions in caprylic/capric triglyceride, with and without 7% of the ISD gel, applied on black (a) and striped (b) Leneta cards using a 100 µm film applicator. Iron oxide agglomerates are visible in the control dispersion, whereas no agglomerates are observed and the film appears more uniform with the ISD gel. The slightly rough texture in the ISD gel sample is attributed to solid organoclay particles
TABLE 3: COMPOSITION OF THE LIP BALM FORMULATION USED TO EVALUATE THE PIGMENT DISPERSION PERFORMANCE
w/w (%) Phase A Ingredient / INCI
Castor oil/Ricinus Communis Seed Oil Hydrogenated Polyisobutene Meadowfoam Estolide
Anti-oxidant/Tocopherol (and) Helianthus Annus Seed Oil
Alkane Gel/C9-12 Alkane, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Glyceryl Oleate Preservative/Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin
B
Effect pigment/Mica, CI 77491 (Iron Oxides), CI 77499 (Iron Oxides), CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide)
Trihydroxystearin Beeswax/Cera Alba
C
Candelilla Wax/Copernicia Cerifera Cera Candelilla Wax/Euphorbia Cerifera Cera Parfum
PERSONAL CARE MAGAZINE April 2026
Test lip balm Control lip balm 68.90 13.00 2.00 1.00 5.00 0.50
73.90 13.00 2.00 1.00 -
0.10 5.00
1.00
1.00 0.50
0.50 0.10 5.00
2.00 1.00 1.00 0.50
Pickering-like stabilisation effect, creating a physical network around the pigment particles. This network provides protection helps prevent re-aggregation, supporting finer dispersion, higher pigment loading and a more uniform colour distribution across the final formulation. The impact of improved pigment wetting can also be observed directly in finished products. A simple lip balm test formulation containing a brown effect pigment mixture (Table 3) clearly illustrates this effect. Figure 3 shows that in the control sample without the hectorite organoclay gel Bentone® Ultimate LC (hereafter, the alkane gel), poor wetting leads to visible pigment agglomeration within the balm, resulting in uneven pigment distribution and a noticeably weaker overall shade intensity. In contrast, the formulation containing the
alkane gel shows a smooth, uniform appearance with no visible agglomerates, and the colour appears richer and more saturated due to the more efficient dispersion of the pigment throughout the balm matrix. This visual difference further confirms the role of the alkane gel in enhancing pigment wetting and achieving consistent colour performance.
Pigment suspension In addition to pigment dispersion, effective pigment suspension is essential across colour cosmetic formulations—from anhydrous hot pours like lipsticks and balms to emulsions such as liquid foundations—because pigments and larger effect particles must remain evenly distributed throughout processing, storage, and application. Without sufficient internal structure, heavier
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