Montanov 68 Troubleshooting Guide

Montanov 68 is a reliable, natural emulsifier — but like all lamellar systems, it has its quirks. This troubleshooting guide helps you diagnose and fix common issues such as thinning, separation, graininess, and soaping. Each section explains why the issue occurs, how to fix it, and how to prevent it in future batches.

🧴 1. Soaping (White Streaks When Rubbing In)

What’s happening

Montanov 68 forms lamellar liquid‑crystal structures. When rubbed into the skin, these layers can temporarily trap air, scattering light and creating a white streak. This is not instability — it’s a sensory issue.

Fixes

• Reduce cetearyl alcohol or cetyl alcohol by 0.5–1%
• Add slip agents:
  • Isoamyl laurate
  • Coco‑caprylate/caprate
  • Caprylic Capric Triglycerides
  • DUB Cire H1 (C10‑18 Triglycerides)
• Increase oil phase mobility with light esters
• Cool slowly with gentle stirring

Prevention

• Avoid pairing high Montanov 68 with high fatty alcohols
• Include 1–2% fast‑spreading emollients
• Keep butters moderate

🧪 2. Emulsion Separation

What’s happening

Separation usually occurs when:

• phases were not heated to the same temperature
• Montanov 68 was under‑used
• oil phase is too small
• electrolytes disrupted the lamellar structure

Fixes

• Heat both phases to 70–75°C
• Increase Montanov 68 by 0.5–1%
• Increase oil phase by 1–3%
• Add a co‑emulsifier:
  • Glyceryl Stearate SE
  • Polyglyceryl‑6 Distearate
• Reduce electrolytes (aloe, sodium PCA, panthenol, etc.)
• Use a water thickener (sepimax zen, xanthan gum etc) in the heated water phase

Prevention

• Always combine phases at equal temperature
• Avoid high electrolyte loads in very light lotions
• Use supportive co‑emulsifiers for difficult formulas

🧴 3. Lotion Too Thin / Not Enough Viscosity

What’s happening

Montanov 68 produces medium viscosity. If the oil phase is too light or fatty alcohols are low, the emulsion may feel too fluid.

Fixes

• Increase Montanov 68 to 5–6%
• Add cetyl alcohol (1–2%)
• Add Sepimax Zen (0.2–0.4%) for elegant thickening
• Increase oil phase by 2–5%
• Add a small amount of butter (1–3%)

Prevention

• Use a balanced oil phase (light + medium oils)
• Avoid extremely low oil phases (<10%)
• Include a supportive thickener (Sepimax Zen works beautifully with Montanov 68)

❄️ 4. Graininess

What’s happening

Graininess occurs when:

• fatty alcohols or butters recrystallise
• the emulsion cooled too quickly
• Montanov 68 didn’t fully melt

Fixes

• Ensure full melting at 70–75°C
• Cool slowly while stirring gently
• Reduce high‑melting butters (shea, cocoa)
• Add esters to soften the oil phase
• Replace some cetearyl alcohol with DUB Cire H1 for smoother crystallisation

Prevention

• Avoid shock cooling
• Use esters to reduce waxy crystallisation
• Keep butters below 5% unless intentionally rich

🧼 5. Waxy or Heavy Skin Feel

What’s happening

Too much cetearyl alcohol, cetyl alcohol, or heavy butters can make Montanov 68 formulas feel waxy.

Fixes

• Reduce fatty alcohols by 0.5–1%
• Replace part of the waxy phase with:
  • Isoamyl laurate
  • Coco‑caprylate/caprate
  • DUB Cire H1 (adds slip without greasiness)
• Increase water phase slightly
• Add 1–2% light esters

Prevention

• Use fatty alcohols sparingly
• Balance butters with esters
• Keep oil phase mobility high

🌱 6. Poor Absorption / Slow Rub‑In

What’s happening

Lamellar emulsions can feel cushiony and slow to absorb if the oil phase is too heavy.

Fixes

• Add fast‑spreading esters
• Reduce shea/cocoa butter
• Add Sepimax Zen to improve glide
• Include DUB Cire H1 for silky absorption

Prevention

• Use a blend of light + medium oils
• Avoid heavy waxes
• Keep butters low

⚗️ 7. Emulsion Too Thick

What’s happening

Montanov 68 thickens over 24 hours due to lamellar structuring. Excess fatty alcohols or gums can push viscosity too high.

Fixes

• Reduce Montanov 68 by 0.5–1%
• Reduce fatty alcohols
• Reduce Sepimax Zen
• Increase water phase by 2–5%

Prevention

• Always evaluate viscosity after 24 hours
• Use Sepimax Zen sparingly (it’s powerful)
• Avoid stacking multiple thickeners

⭐ Ingredient‑Specific Troubleshooting

DUB Cire H1 (C10‑18 Triglycerides)

A pelletised triglyceride that:

• reduces soaping
• improves slip
• softens waxy emulsions
• enhances stability
• reduces graininess
• adds elegant sensory feel

Use at 1–5% in the oil phase.

Sepimax Zen

A modern polymer thickener that:

• thickens without gum‑like drag
• improves slip
• stabilises emulsions
• reduces soaping
• enhances elegance

Use at 0.2–0.4% for Montanov 68 systems.

🔗 Related Reading

• Montanov 68 Complete Guide
• How to Formulate with Montanov 68
• Soaping in Emulsions
• Montanov 68 Compatibility Chart
• Montanov 68 vs Olivem 1000
• Montanov 68 Recipes

🛒 Where to Buy Montanov 68

You can purchase high‑purity, natural Montanov 68 from The Formulary:

Montanov 68 – Product Page