Sorbitol (70% Solution)
Sorbitol (70% Solution)
Sorbitol (70% Solution) (Humectant and Thickener)
Our Sorbitol is a sugar-derived alcohol supplied as a 70% solution in water. It is a humectant, which means it helps products hold moisture, and it is used as a thickener in shaving creams, soaps and body care.
It has a high refractive index, so it works well in clear products, and makers often use it as an alternative to glycerine. It is palm free and suitable for vegan formulas.
|
70% solution Sugar-derived alcohol |
Humectant Holds moisture |
Use at 1-10% Palm free, vegan |
1 L to 4 L Three pack sizes |
Safety information: for external (cosmetic) use only. Keep out of reach of children and keep away from the eyes. See Safety below and the Safety Data Sheet in the Product Documents section at the end of this page.
Specifications
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Product | Sorbitol (70% Solution) |
| INCI | Sorbitol |
| Type | Sugar alcohol, humectant and thickener |
| Concentration | 70% solution in water |
| Appearance | Clear, colourless, syrupy liquid |
| Solubility | Water soluble |
| Typical use rate | About 1-10% depending on the product. Test your own recipe |
| Palm free | Yes |
| Vegan | Yes |
| Country of origin | China |
| Suitable for | Clear products, shaving creams, soap, body care, lotions, scrubs |
| Pack Sizes | 1 L, 2 L, 4 L |
| Storage | Sealed, cool and dry, away from heat and sunlight |
| Use | Raw material for makers. Formulation, preservation, safety assessment and labelling of finished products are the maker's responsibility. Not for internal use |
Uses
| Use | How it is used |
|---|---|
| Shaving creams and soaps | A humectant and thickener in shaving products |
| Clear products | A thickener and humectant that suits clear gels and washes |
| Lotions and creams | Used in the water phase, often as an alternative to glycerine |
| Soap | Used by some makers in melt and pour and liquid soaps. Test small batches |
| Scrubs and body care | Adds a humectant, slightly sticky feel. Test your own recipe |
| Pastes and gels | Used as a thickener and humectant in pastes. Test your own recipe |
How to Use Sorbitol in a Lotion
- Weigh. Weigh the sorbitol with the water phase. A common starting rate is about 2-5% of the formula.
- Heat. Heat the water phase with the sorbitol to about 70-75 °C and stir until blended.
- Combine. Combine with the heated oil phase and emulsifier and blend until smooth.
- Cool. Keep stirring as the lotion cools.
- Add the extras. Below about 40 °C, add heat-sensitive ingredients and your preservatives.
- Test. Check the feel on skin the next day. Sorbitol can make a product feel slightly sticky at higher rates.
Tip: Sorbitol can feel tacky at higher rates. Start low and build up.
Using It in Creams, Soap & Washes ▼
These are common maker starting points, not fixed rules. Results vary with your recipe, so always test a small batch first.
| Use | Starting amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Lotions and creams | About 1-5% | Add to the water phase. Lower the rate if the lotion feels sticky. |
| Shaving creams and soaps | About 2-10% | Test the feel and glide. |
| Clear gels and washes | About 1-5% | Test the clarity. |
| Melt and pour soap | Test small batches | Check for sweating and stickiness. |
| Scrubs | About 1-5% | Test the feel. |
Tips & Troubleshooting ▼
| Problem | Likely cause | What to try |
|---|---|---|
| Product feels sticky | Rate too high | Reduce the sorbitol in the next batch. |
| Product sweats in humid weather | Humectants attract water | Reduce the amount or store in a dry place. |
| Cloudy product | Incompatible ingredients | Test ingredients in small amounts. |
| Too thin | Not enough thickener | Add a thickener such as xanthan gum. |
| Skin feels irritated | Reaction to the formula | Patch test and lower the rate. |
| Product spoils | Water-based products can grow mould and bacteria | Use clean tools and add a suitable preservative. |
Safety & Selling Your Products ▼
This product is a cosmetic raw material for external use only. Do not swallow it, keep it out of reach of children and keep it away from the eyes. Wear gloves and eye protection when handling the concentrated product, patch test finished products before first use and stop using a product if irritation occurs.
Sorbitol is a sugar alcohol and can make surfaces sticky if it spills. Water-based products need a suitable preservative.
Selling what you make? This is a raw material for makers. The formulation, preservation, safety assessment, labelling and any regulatory requirements for your finished cosmetics or soap (including the NZ cosmetic rules) are your responsibility, and health or treatment claims should not be made for your products. Contact us at info@purefx.co.nz if you need product information.
Frequently Asked Questions ▼
What strength is it?
It is a 70% solution in water.
What does it do?
It holds moisture as a humectant and adds thickness and a smooth feel.
How much do I use?
About 1-10% depending on the product. Always test.
Can I use it instead of glycerine?
In many formulas, yes. Test your own recipe.
Is it vegan?
Yes.
Is it palm free?
Yes.
Do I need a preservative?
Yes, for water-based products.
How should I store it?
Sealed, in a cool, dry place away from heat and sunlight.
Is it for internal use?
No. It is sold for external cosmetic use only.
Sizes & Price
| Pack | Price | Price per 100 ml |
|---|---|---|
| 1 L | $9.50 | $0.95 |
| 2 L | $18.00 | $0.90 |
| 4 L | $35.00 | $0.88 |
Pairs Well With
Pair with vegetable glycerine, aloe vera gel and hydrosols, and add sodium lactate or hyaluronic acid powder. Use with Emulsifying Wax (Neowax B200) or cocamidopropyl betaine, and thicken with xanthan gum. Preserve with Geogard 221 or phenoxyethanol. Browse emulsifiers and thickeners. |
 Product Documents
|
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Sorbitol (70% Solution) (Humectant and Thickener)
Our Sorbitol is a sugar-derived alcohol supplied as a 70% solution in water. It is a humectant, which means it helps products hold moisture, and it is used as a thickener in shaving creams, soaps and body care.
It has a high refractive index, so it works well in clear products, and makers often use it as an alternative to glycerine. It is palm free and suitable for vegan formulas.
|
70% solution Sugar-derived alcohol |
Humectant Holds moisture |
Use at 1-10% Palm free, vegan |
1 L to 4 L Three pack sizes |
Safety information: for external (cosmetic) use only. Keep out of reach of children and keep away from the eyes. See Safety below and the Safety Data Sheet in the Product Documents section at the end of this page.
Specifications
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Product | Sorbitol (70% Solution) |
| INCI | Sorbitol |
| Type | Sugar alcohol, humectant and thickener |
| Concentration | 70% solution in water |
| Appearance | Clear, colourless, syrupy liquid |
| Solubility | Water soluble |
| Typical use rate | About 1-10% depending on the product. Test your own recipe |
| Palm free | Yes |
| Vegan | Yes |
| Country of origin | China |
| Suitable for | Clear products, shaving creams, soap, body care, lotions, scrubs |
| Pack Sizes | 1 L, 2 L, 4 L |
| Storage | Sealed, cool and dry, away from heat and sunlight |
| Use | Raw material for makers. Formulation, preservation, safety assessment and labelling of finished products are the maker's responsibility. Not for internal use |
Uses
| Use | How it is used |
|---|---|
| Shaving creams and soaps | A humectant and thickener in shaving products |
| Clear products | A thickener and humectant that suits clear gels and washes |
| Lotions and creams | Used in the water phase, often as an alternative to glycerine |
| Soap | Used by some makers in melt and pour and liquid soaps. Test small batches |
| Scrubs and body care | Adds a humectant, slightly sticky feel. Test your own recipe |
| Pastes and gels | Used as a thickener and humectant in pastes. Test your own recipe |
How to Use Sorbitol in a Lotion
- Weigh. Weigh the sorbitol with the water phase. A common starting rate is about 2-5% of the formula.
- Heat. Heat the water phase with the sorbitol to about 70-75 °C and stir until blended.
- Combine. Combine with the heated oil phase and emulsifier and blend until smooth.
- Cool. Keep stirring as the lotion cools.
- Add the extras. Below about 40 °C, add heat-sensitive ingredients and your preservatives.
- Test. Check the feel on skin the next day. Sorbitol can make a product feel slightly sticky at higher rates.
Tip: Sorbitol can feel tacky at higher rates. Start low and build up.
Using It in Creams, Soap & Washes ▼
These are common maker starting points, not fixed rules. Results vary with your recipe, so always test a small batch first.
| Use | Starting amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Lotions and creams | About 1-5% | Add to the water phase. Lower the rate if the lotion feels sticky. |
| Shaving creams and soaps | About 2-10% | Test the feel and glide. |
| Clear gels and washes | About 1-5% | Test the clarity. |
| Melt and pour soap | Test small batches | Check for sweating and stickiness. |
| Scrubs | About 1-5% | Test the feel. |
Tips & Troubleshooting ▼
| Problem | Likely cause | What to try |
|---|---|---|
| Product feels sticky | Rate too high | Reduce the sorbitol in the next batch. |
| Product sweats in humid weather | Humectants attract water | Reduce the amount or store in a dry place. |
| Cloudy product | Incompatible ingredients | Test ingredients in small amounts. |
| Too thin | Not enough thickener | Add a thickener such as xanthan gum. |
| Skin feels irritated | Reaction to the formula | Patch test and lower the rate. |
| Product spoils | Water-based products can grow mould and bacteria | Use clean tools and add a suitable preservative. |
Safety & Selling Your Products ▼
This product is a cosmetic raw material for external use only. Do not swallow it, keep it out of reach of children and keep it away from the eyes. Wear gloves and eye protection when handling the concentrated product, patch test finished products before first use and stop using a product if irritation occurs.
Sorbitol is a sugar alcohol and can make surfaces sticky if it spills. Water-based products need a suitable preservative.
Selling what you make? This is a raw material for makers. The formulation, preservation, safety assessment, labelling and any regulatory requirements for your finished cosmetics or soap (including the NZ cosmetic rules) are your responsibility, and health or treatment claims should not be made for your products. Contact us at info@purefx.co.nz if you need product information.
Frequently Asked Questions ▼
What strength is it?
It is a 70% solution in water.
What does it do?
It holds moisture as a humectant and adds thickness and a smooth feel.
How much do I use?
About 1-10% depending on the product. Always test.
Can I use it instead of glycerine?
In many formulas, yes. Test your own recipe.
Is it vegan?
Yes.
Is it palm free?
Yes.
Do I need a preservative?
Yes, for water-based products.
How should I store it?
Sealed, in a cool, dry place away from heat and sunlight.
Is it for internal use?
No. It is sold for external cosmetic use only.
Sizes & Price
| Pack | Price | Price per 100 ml |
|---|---|---|
| 1 L | $9.50 | $0.95 |
| 2 L | $18.00 | $0.90 |
| 4 L | $35.00 | $0.88 |
Pairs Well With
Pair with vegetable glycerine, aloe vera gel and hydrosols, and add sodium lactate or hyaluronic acid powder. Use with Emulsifying Wax (Neowax B200) or cocamidopropyl betaine, and thicken with xanthan gum. Preserve with Geogard 221 or phenoxyethanol. Browse emulsifiers and thickeners. |
|
Product Documents
|
