BTMS-50: A Fantastic Ingredient
The cationic emulsifying wax BTMS-50 is positively charged.
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BTMS 50
Ingredient transparency appears to be the newest trend or customer demand these days. Everyone wants to know what they’re putting in their bodies and on their skin.
What is BTMS 50, and why should you use it in your recipes?
Behentrimonium Methosulfate 50 percent is a cationic conditioner and emulsifier, which means it helps two substances that wouldn’t ordinarily mix combine. This molecule seems like an industrial chemical, but it’s actually a vegetable-based product derived from rapeseed oil.
What is BTMS-50?
BTMS is a plant-based substance. It’s an emulsifying wax made from Colza or Rapeseed oil that’s naturally generated. BTMS-25 or BTMS-50 are alternate names for behentrimonium methosulfate.
| What is it? | The cationic emulsifying wax BTMS-50 is positively charged. |
|---|---|
| INCI | Behentrimonium Methosulfate (and) Cetyl Alcohol (and) Butylene Glycol |
| Appearance | Small white waxy beads |
| Texture | Foam type |
| Recommended Usage | 1–15% |
| Solubility | Oil soluble |
| Melting point | 60°C (140°F) |
| Boiling point | NA |
| pH | 5–7 |
| Aroma | bit fishy |
| Why do we include it in formulations? | BTMS-50 creates exquisite cationic emulsions, allowing formulators to create skin creams and lotions that have a unique initial sensation and a soft, powdery after-feel that doesn't wash off. |
| How to work with it? | Melt in the heated oil phase. |
| Applications | BTMS-50 is a mild emulsifying and conditioning agent that can be used on both hair and skin. It feels silky smooth on the skin and conditions hair like no other emulsifier. |
| Absorption rate | Average to fast |
| Strength | It's an amazing skin conditioner, and it's usually one of the most accessible conditioning emulsifying waxes. |
| Weaknesses | It's more expensive than most non-cationic emulsifying waxes, and it might make your goods smell fishy if you use a lot of it (more than 10–15 percent). |
| Substitution | Behentrimonium Chloride (BTMC) |
| How to store it? | Stored in a cool, dark and dry place. |
| Shelf life | BTMS-50 has a long shelf life. |
Fun Fact
| Type of ingredient | Emulsifier and conditioner |
|---|---|
| Main benefits | BTMS-50 is a mild emulsifier and conditioner that can be used on both hair and skin. |
| Who should use it | Anyone who is not allergic to it should be able to use it safely. |
| How often can you use it? | Daily |
| Works well with | Most other ingredients |
| Doesn't work with | No known interaction |
| How to use | During the heated oil phase, melt. |
Mechanisms of action
Because of the conditioning component in BTMS-50, creams and lotions have a beautiful sophisticated, silky, powdery skin sensation. This product is simple to deal with and can be used as is or coupled with emulsifying wax if needed.
BTMS-50 is a positively charged cationic emulsifying wax. Because it’s cationic, it’s also “conditioning”—it adsorbs (forms a very fine coating) on skin and hair, giving it a beautiful sheen that’s only found in cationic substances.
It contains Behentrimonium Methosulfate, which accounts for half of the active components.
Benefits of BTMS-50
In my perspective, BTMS-50 is a great conditioning emulsifier for both regular and leave-in conditioners. It’s my favourite emulsifier because it’s a softening self-emulsifier (to this point).
To stabilise a product, an additional emulsifier is not required (depending on the other ingredients present). BTMS-50 offers two distinct advantages: a straightforward formulation process and outstanding softening results. Nothing else I’ve tried is as easy to use as the BTMS-50.
Side Effects of BTMS-50
There are no side effects.
How to use it in formulation?
Because BTMS-50 can be difficult to melt in a water bath, you may need to give your heated oil phase a quick microwave burst to completely melt it. It gives our products a lush, skin-like feel, and it leaves hair feeling lovely, combable, and velvety smooth. It also functions as an emulsifying wax.
Work well with other ingredients
As previously stated, BTMS is a great emulsifier when mixing a variety of different compounds. In addition to its emulsifying abilities, it’s an excellent detangler that penetrates deeply into skin and hair strands. Because of its positive charge, behentrimonium methosulfate is very conditioning. When it’s used in ecologically beneficial products like ours, it’s a win-win situation.
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