Stearic acid is kind of a cool ingredient. You can use it in different recipes and in each recipe you can use it for a completely different purposes. You will often see it used in lotions to thicken them and added to candle wax to boost the scent throw.
Stearic Acid: Basic Information
INCI Name: Stearic Acid
Shelf Life: Stored in a cool, dark and dry place 2 years.
Use Rate: 1-20%,
Solubility: Insoluble in water
Appearance: White/off-white waxy textured flakes. It has a mild odor.
Guidelines: Used in the oil phase with a melting point of about 127 – 130°F.
Different Usages
This can be used in a variety of ways: as an emulsion stabilizer, a thickener and as a softener. This is one of those ingredients that when used in different formulas, it serves in many different functions.
Lotions
One of the functions of stearic acid is to thicken lotion to help hold the emulsion together. It can also add to silkiness of the final product. The use rate in lotion is normally approximately 3-6%
Soaps
It is used to thicken and harden soap into a solid form. It also helps to make the later of the soap richer. By that I mean that it feels softer or maybe a velvety texture. This is why it is often used in shaving soaps! Typically, the use rate for soap is between 2-5%
Candles
We will use stearic acid for a whole slew of reasons in candles. It hardens the wax, which means a longer burn time. It also is able to boosts the scent throw by attaching to the fragrance and releasing it slower throughout the burn cycle.
Plus, it will shrink when cooled, making it easier to release candles from their mold. Typically, in candles a use rate of 3-6%
Some recipes that use Stearic Acid:
- Lotion
- Creams
- Candles
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