Cream Making

The below picture show how cream is manufactured;

Let’s discuss the water phase first. Water is the major solvent and most of the cream has 60 to 75% of water in it. Preservative is added in the water to avoid fungal, bacterial and yeast growth. Thickening agent such as Xanthan Gum and Carbomer are added into the water phase to attain the texture and spread ability as per desired. All the ingredients after adding into the water phase are heated up to 70 C.

Whereas; oil is added to give nourishment and lock the moisture into the upper layer of the skin. Preservative such as paraben is added into the oil phase to avoid rancidification of the oil. Thickening agent is also added in the oil phase as per requirement.?Emulsifier is also added. All the ingredient after adding into oil phase are heated up to 70 C.

Water is polar and oil is non polar and in order to mix both phases we need emulsifier. Emulsifier has both hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups. Water is attached to hydrophilic and oil is attached to hydrophobic end. Emulsifier is classified by HLB value (Hydrophilic lipophilic balance). There are two types of emulsion;

1)?????Oil in Water Emulsion (O/W):

In this emulsion, lesser quantity of oil is dispersed into the continuous water phase. Most of the cream are oil in water emulsion based. For this type of emulsion, the HLB value of an emulsifier should be in the range of 10-18.

2)?????Water in Oil Emulsion (O/W):

In this emulsion, less quantity of water is dispersed into the continuous oil phase. For this type of emulsion, the HLB value of an emulsifier should be in the range of 3-8. Cold cream is an example of water in oil emulsion.

When both the phases are ready; oil phase is dispersed into water phase by aid of silverson or high shear mixer. When emulsion is achieved, the cream is cooled up to 40C.?