Cosmetic emulsions must meet a wide range of requirements. In addition to consistency in terms of stability, viscosity and appearance, efficacy on the skin and customer acceptance also play a major role. A wide variety of ingredients are incorporated into every cosmetic formulation. This requires a complex development process in the laboratory. This is followed by the scale-up process to production scale. In this context, different mixing systems with varying sizes, geometries and power inputs can have a major influence on the microscopic and macroscopic appearance of the cosmetic formulation. Differences here can affect stability and viscosity, thereby significantly impairing product quality. The aim of the project presented here is therefore to characterise and optimise the process parameters involved in the industrial production of cosmetic emulsions. By developing various methods for determining the droplet size distribution of the emulsion’s internal phase, key conclusions can be drawn about the manufacturing process [1]. This makes it easier to adjust mixing times and stirring speeds and, where necessary, to reduce them. These methods simplify the comparison of emulsions immediately after production. Analysing the droplet size distribution in a detailed scale-up process can further improve product quality and prevent defective batches.
This makes a significant contribution to the better description and implementation of scale-up processes in the manufacture of cosmetic emulsions. These methods allow adjustments to process parameters to be better classified and verified, which can help to reduce stirring speeds and mixing times. This enables process costs to be lowered and the number of batches/production volume to be increased, thereby contributing to energy-saving, sustainable manufacturing methods.
[1] Werner, J., et al: Charakterisierung und Optimierung von Scale-up Kriterien für verschiedene Mischanlagen zur Herstellung kosmetischer Emulsionen: Poster at the Annual Meeting of the DECHEMA/VDI – Group Mixing Processes, 25.02.2026 in Frankfurt am Main
