Are you in the topicals space, working on new product development?
Common Questions -
These are some questions we get asked frequently when working with new clients.
They are often surprised to find that the gel is so simple to work with and is easily customizable.
Question 1: How do you blend added natural oils into the gel formulation efficiently?
Answer: Although mixing the gel can be as easy as taking a giant spatula and manually stirring, we suggest investing in an overhead stirrer. When we package bulk gel orders we leave head-space in the container to allow you to mix directly in the original container. The overhead stirrer that our manufacturing team has in-house takes about 5 minutes to mix a gallon of gel to complete homogeneity.
Question 2: Can the gel be blended with crude oil, thick concentrate or a
full spectrum oil?
Answer: Yes, the gel is designed to accept a wide range of oil-based material including thicker oils and concentrates. When blending with thick material, we suggest that the gel and the material be heated before blending. Heat studies conducted thus far show that the gel is stable at the subjected heat of 40ºC or 104ºF.
Question 3: How much material can you infuse into the gel?
Answer: Eleblend gels are designed to easily accept the addition of natural oils. The concentration of added oil should be measured based on the container size and the type of extract being infused. Eleblend offers two types of formulations, our regular gel products and PLUS gel products.
PLUS gels are designed to allow for higher concentrations of added oils (suggested for those looking to add oil that has been previously diluted with an excipient/ carrier oil). If you are infusing an oil that is pre-mixed with an excipient/carrier oil, the regular gel products can take up to 9% of added oil and the PLUS products can take between 14-16% added oil before the gel becomes too thin. If you are using a thicker concentrate/ crude oil, the gel can take higher concentrations because of the lack of cutting agents (MCT oil, hemp seed oil, sunflower seed oil, etc.). Blending in isolate does no adversely change the viscosity/ feel of the gel. Therefore, isolate can be added in higher concentrations than oil.
If you are looking to infuse essential oils, it is important to understand the safe dilution for topical application. It is best to reference dilution suggestions from trusted sources to determine how much of a particular essential oil to add to a topical product to prevent skin irritation.
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