Emulsifiers sound very "artificial" but are actually very common in nature. For example, when you make pancakes you easily mix water with oil, right? It is lecithin, an emulsifier in egg yolk, that keeps these incompatible ingredients mixed together. So, we can mix the oil with water using emulsifiers. But what is it for, besides pancakes?
Today, emulsions are used in a variety of industries, such as pharmaceuticals, agriculture, paints, cosmetics and food. These emulsions are used for different purposes, but they share similar purposes: they are easier to use and / or are more effective than using the oils alone. Let's take a closer look at why water-soluble emulsions / formulations are useful for food and cosmetics.
Water-soluble formulations in the food industry
In addition to making pancakes, mayonnaise, and salad dressings, emulsion formulations have also become popular for dietary supplements, especially those that contain oil-soluble substances such as vitamins A, D, E and K. These oily vitamins are much more effective if we use them in a water-soluble formulation. In other words, if you drink a water-soluble formulation of an oily substance in a glass of water, it will be better absorbed from your gastrointestinal tract. This means that the effect of the same dose increases when the oil is transformed into a water-soluble formulation. Or, as scientists like to say, improved water solubility increases the bioavailability of an oily substance. Sounds like an advantage, right?
Cosmetic products are emulsion systems
Most cosmetic and personal care products involve various types of emulsion systems: products such as creams, lotions, serums, shampoos, hair conditioners, toothpaste, and others that contain oil and water. Typically, cosmetic products contain a number of water- and oil-soluble components, such as:
- water-soluble vitamins B and C,
- nourishing oils such as almond, grape seed, olive and argan oil,
- oil-soluble extracts such as hemp extract with CBD and other cannabinoids.
To successfully mix these ingredients and produce a stable formulation, emulsifiers are needed. In the cosmetic industry, emulsifiers are also sometimes referred to as surfactants, which is a broader term for emulsifiers and detergents. In addition to a stable formulation, emulsion formulations also improve the effectiveness of the active components as they can penetrate into the deeper layers of the epidermis when, for example, they are used topically.
Pharmahemp offers highly effective water-soluble products
Water-soluble drops are concentrated emulsions of oil and water. You can easily dilute the desired amount of product in a glass of water. These stable formulations have been developed to enhance the effects and bioavailability of all active ingredients. Carefully selected ingredients such as herbal extracts, vitamins, minerals and other active ingredients are well blended with natural emulsifiers in four water-soluble formulations that are available to you:
