What is it? Olivem® 300 is a water-soluble lipid (fat) that softens skin and adds richness to our products.
INCI Olive Oil PEG-7 Esters
Appearance Pale yellow liquid
Usage rate 1–84%
Texture Lightweight oil-like liquid
Scent Nothing strong; a bit oil-like
pH 5–7 (5% solution)
Solubility Water & oil
Why do we use it in formulations? In watery concoctions like room sprays, body sprays, and hand washes Olivem 300 will self-disperse so you can easily include a bit of oil, making surfactant products gentler and mists more moisturizing. It can also help solubilize essential oils and fragrance oils.

In oil-based products like cleansing oils and cleansing balms Olivem 300 adds cleansing power and boosts rinse-off. I’ll often include it in body oils or after-bath oils because it means the body oil will self-emulsify with any water on the skin during application, but unlike a polysorbate it isn’t sticky and still has a lovely skin feel.

Do you need it? It isn’t essential, but I enjoy having it around and using it.
Strengths It’s an easy way to incorporate a bit of oil into otherwise watery concoctions.
Weaknesses It can be hard to find in some parts of the world.
Alternatives & Substitutions Check out this page to learn more about making solubilizer substitutions. Water soluble shea butter (PEG-50 Shea Butter) would be a fairly simple alternative.

You cannot Olivem 300 instead of a complete emulsifying wax, and you cannot use a complete emulsifying wax in place of Olivem 300.

You cannot use a liquid surfactant in place of Olivem 300, and Olivem 300 is not a good alternative for a liquid surfactant.

You cannot use other members of the Olivem family, like Olivem 1000, in place of Olivem 300.

How to Work with It Mix the Olivem 300 with the oil phase before gently whisking it into the water phase.
Storage & Shelf Life Stored somewhere cool, dark, and dry, Olivem 300 should last at least 3 years.
Tips, Tricks, and Quirks It can cause some foaming in your products but it isn’t a surfactant and cannot be used in place of surfactants in recipes.
Recommended starter amount 100mL (3.3fl oz)
Where to Buy it  Buy it from an online DIY ingredient supplier or Amazon.

Some Formulations that Use Olivem 300

Skills

Posted on

November 24, 2018