| What is it? | Olivem© 1000 is a complete, self-thickening, natural, plant-derived emulsifying wax for creating oil-in-water emulsions. It is made by Hallstar and is COSMOS certified. |
| INCI | Cetearyl Olivate (and) Sorbitan Olivate |
| Appearance | Thin, flat white flakes. |
| Usage rate | 2–8% |
| Scent | Nothing much. |
| Approximate Melting Point | 70°C (158°F) |
| Charge | Non-ionic |
| Solubility | Oil |
| Why do we use it in formulations? | In lotions and creams it functions as an all-in-one emulsifier as well as contributing thickening. I find emulsions made with Olivem 1000 tend to be thicker than emulsions made with Polawax or Emulsifying Wax NF.
In cleansing oils and balms it creates products that self-emulsify on contact with water. It also brings the “cleansing” element as Olivem 1000 is made up of molecules that have an oil-loving and a water-loving end; the oil-loving end grabs the oil on your skin, and the water-loving end grabs the water you are washing with to rinse away easily. |
| Do you need it? | No, but if you want a “natural” emulsifying wax Olivem 1000 is likely the one I’d choose. |
| Strengths | It is a fairly easy-to-use complete “natural” emulsifying wax. It has a broader pH range and oil phase tolerance than Ritamulse SCG. |
| Weaknesses | It can be harder to find (and more expensive) than more standard emulsifying waxes like Emulsifying Wax NF. It can also be harder to use successfully (though I still find it quite easy to use!).
Olivem 1000 is notorious for “soaping”—turning white on application. |
| Alternatives & Substitutions | Ritamulse SCG is a good alternative for Olivem 1000 as it is also ECO-Cert compliant and creates emulsions with a similarly thick, fluffy feel. However, Ritamulse SCG does have more incompatibilities than Olivem 1000, so be sure to it is compatible with your formula.
MONTANOV™ 68 MB (INCI: Cetearyl Alcohol & Cetearyl Glucoside) will work, though I find it soaps even more enthusiastically than Olivem 1000 does. PolyAquol™ 2W (INCI: Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate (and) Glyceryl Stearate (and) Stearyl Alcohol) will also work as a natural alternative; it’s lovely! For a non-natural alternative, you could use Polawax or Emulsifying Wax NF. You cannot use a solubilizer, like Polysorbate 80, in place of Olivem 1000. You cannot use a true wax, like beeswax, in place of Olivem 1000. You cannot use other members of the Olivem family, like Olivem 300 or Olivem 900, in place of Olivem 1000. |
| How to Work with It | Melt it into your heated oil phase; it needs to be heated to incorporate. It works to emulsify at 20–25% of the oil phase.
It is typically recommended to include stabilizers in your formula, like 0.2% xanthan gum, or 1–2% of a thickener/stabilizer like olive wax or Glyceryl Stearate. I don’t always do this and haven’t had any issues. |
| Storage & Shelf Life | Stored somewhere cool, dark, and dry, Olivem 1000 should last five years. |
| Tips, Tricks, and Quirks | The manufacturer recommends high-shear blending until the emulsion is formed, and then slower mixing throughout cooling. |
| Recommended starter amount | 50–100g (2–3oz) |
| Where to Buy it | Buy it from an online DIY ingredient supplier. |
Olivem 1000
Emulsifiers & Solubilizers
