Should cosmetics be diluted to test pH?

[@tatak743]

Another great video! I did a course years ago and they advised to mix the final product in water to adjust pH...something that in my mind never made any sense... the worst bit is that I questioned about it, asking if the ph would change and they just gave me the short answer YES...and kept saying to dilute in water to adjust the pH... Is sad to see people charging for the wrong info. Thanks again Belinda!

[@theinstituteofpersonalcare6401]

Sorry to hear that you were given with the wrong information, if you are looking to study with us, please email: [e-mail] - Happy formulating! :)

[@terezagroth-andersen8164]

Thank you so much for clarifying this. I have always had my doubts about diluting an emulsion to test the Ph. Your explanation is spot on!

[@theinstituteofpersonalcare6401]

Thank you for watching, glad you enjoyed!

[@marycummings3815]

Thanks so much for this. It makes perfect sense for all the reasons you explain. And yet there are well known "reputable" cosmetic science schools out there that teach you absolutely must dilute to test the final product. This has always left me completely confused about whether the pH of the final product was spot on.

[@theinstituteofpersonalcare6401]

Thank you for watching, glad it helped!

[@anezkaknezkasnezka]

Thank you so much! I'm actually relieved to not dilute it because it's such a pain to do that, plus a part of the product goes to waste! Thank you so much.

[@theinstituteofpersonalcare6401]

Thank you for your feedback!

[@shoby321]

Thank you so much, i had read and watch so many videos to check emulsion ph and lots of them said dilute it with water, with not make sense, today i am totally satisfied, thanks

[@TaraLeee]

When I first heard about diluting products in water I was very concerned myself, but after I did testing comparing diluted products to non diluted I noticed the ph always came out to be almost identical or at least no more than .5 off. Most ph sensitive ingredients like AHA's, preservatives, retinol, niacinamide, etc. typically have a small or sometimes a pretty large window of ph values they are active in. So if you are taking that into consideration would it still be wrong to use a dilution? Plus things like shampoo and face washes are mixed with water when applied to the skin or hair anyways. I understand creams and lotions are not though. But like I said when I've compared diluted solutions to non diluted, the ph values are always very similar to one another. I'd love to hear what you have to say about this as I always want to make sure I am using the best safest methods when formulating. Thank you!

[@theinstituteofpersonalcare6401]

Thanks for watching. You can learn about pH in our Beginners workshop series, visit this link for more information and another FREE video: personalcarescience.com.au/CosmeticScience/BeginnersCosmeticScienceWorkshops-469/

[@trianna2008]

Counting on the diluted pH being equal to the original product’s pH is something that can get you in trouble. The difference in pH will be more pronounced the further your product’s original pH is from water. So if it’s something with pH 5-6 or 8, you might not notice a strong difference when diluted. But if you’re dealing with a product with pH below 4, or above 10, you’ll start to notice a much larger variation. May not make a huge difference if you just need an approximation (like okay for skin, should be diluted for skin, etc,), but when it comes to things like optimal preservative pH ranges, it might be better to be careful.

[@websiteckron8591]

My Creme turned out the have PH 3, my Water has got PH 7, so when diluted it is obviously not correct. ( I know have to adjust my Creme)

[@soniamourali6927]

Thank you for clarifying this point 😊

[@theinstituteofpersonalcare6401]

You're so welcome!

[@jemila_alimaj]

This is very accurate... Thank you for sharing !

[@theinstituteofpersonalcare6401]

Glad it was helpful!

[@jayashreekothari6056]

You are brilliant

[@Stylistaaaa]

Thank you! This was so helpful :)

[@theinstituteofpersonalcare6401]

Thanks for watching, glad you enjoyed!

[@naivey2539]

Plum green tea night cream

[@sabinasuresh]

Perfect

[@khokansaha5138]

Mam please check the pH value of mamaearth hydragel Indian Sunscreen 🥹

[@lavandina2219]

Merci

[@t.nettsluxcreations2805]

Awesome video!! Thank you Should I dilute when making a foaming bath whip / foaming bath butter ?

[@theinstituteofpersonalcare6401]

Thanks for watching :) Absolutely NOT! Never dilute a product where you are also using a preservative, otherwise you can’t know if the preservative is being used in the correct pH!

[@AuntieTriza]

Eek sorry, but now I'm confused... You say to NOT dilute lotions, but in a comment below, you recommend the person watch a video (by Luisa Fanzani) in which she dilutes the lotion before testing pH?

[@unaastroart3017]

That is something I Was always wondering. However, how do you clean the electrode after submerging it in the emulsion? I found that water is often not sufficient. Should we use alcohol or detergent? Should we use a brush?

[@theinstituteofpersonalcare6401]

Thank you for watching. You can learn this in full detail by studying with us - all online - learn anywhere in the world! Please contact us for course information and which course is going to best suit you: [e-mail] You can also get your formulation questions answered LIVE with Belinda, join our Patreon channel here: www.patreon.com/personalcarescience

[@JABRAZ]

Wow. And I've only learnt the opposite from school 😢

[@theinstituteofpersonalcare6401]

Please enrol in our FREE Cosmetic Formulation Fundamentals Masterclass to learn this and so much more: personalcarescience.com.au/Workshops/CosmeticFormulationFundamentalsMasterclass-7441/

[@MrJayblaks]

Great video thanks, should I dilute scrubs and lip gloss?

[@theinstituteofpersonalcare6401]

Thanks for watching! Lipgloss doesn’t carry pH, as it is all oil; scrubs should definitely NOT be diluted if they are in a semi-solid/paste/liquid form (ie with water present) - it is crucial this gets tested as the pH of the actual product for a number of reasons. If it is a powder, you would dilute it the way it would be mixed and used for application.

[@MrJayblaks]

@@theinstituteofpersonalcare6401 Thank you, I do appreciate you getting back to me.

[@kuainanurnajaa2834]

how about wax cosmetics like lip balm? Some of the research paper stated they conducted pH test for lip balm by dispersing the sample in distilled water but how? wax/oil does not dissolve in water though so I hope u can give clarification on this

[@theinstituteofpersonalcare6401]

pH only applies to products containing a significant amount of water as only water is able to carry these ions creating charge. You can learn all about this with our Certificate in Advanced Cosmetic Science: personalcarescience.com.au/CosmeticScience/CertificateinAdvancedCosmeticScience-478/ or Diploma of Personal Care Formulation: personalcarescience.com.au/CosmeticScience/DiplomaofPersonalCareFormulation-479/

[@susanbaker8898]

how mix how hyaluronic acid butter and oils ph formula

[@theinstituteofpersonalcare6401]

Sorry I don’t understand your question. please explain

[@johanna3163]

Thanks a lot for the video! I've also had doubts about diluting the product. Another formulation school teaches that if you test the pH of the product (lotion etc) as it is, it can clog the pH meter. Does that depend on the pH meter or is it true at all?

[@theinstituteofpersonalcare6401]

No, it won’t clog your pH meter. Give it a good clean using proper cleaning processes and it will be fine. I’ve tested THOUSANDS of products using my pH meters over the years.

[@johanna3163]

@@theinstituteofpersonalcare6401 Thank you very much for your reply! It will be even happier formulating with this information😄

[@Naturalhairgoal]

This teaching me to check ph before adding my preservative . After adding preservative can I re check ph ? Assuming checking after adding preservative and ph goes high or low can you adjust the ph of products again. Thanks for answering

[@theinstituteofpersonalcare6401]

Please enrol in our FREE Cosmetic Formulation Fundamentals Masterclass to learn this and so much more: personalcarescience.com.au/Workshops/CosmeticFormulationFundamentalsMasterclass-7441/

[@lalalolo4411]

I have been tought by a formulation school, that making a 1 part product to 9 parts distilled water solution, will give you a more accurate ph reading. This is not true???

[@theinstituteofpersonalcare6401]

Thanks for watching. You can learn about pH adjustment in our Beginners workshop series, visit this link for more information and another FREE video: personalcarescience.com.au/CosmeticScience/BeginnersCosmeticScienceWorkshops-469/

[@jesslineth]

Same as me... I guess we study at the same "formulation" school

[@marycummings3815]

Thanks Demitri your response is very helpful. This explains why my pH readings of emulsions and semi solids are always so erratic, while my liquids are always perfect. I will search for a suitable pH meter. I saw your thread earlier with recommendations. Thanks and very best wishes. (Are you a cosmetic chemist? Do you have a blog?)

[@marycummings3815]

@@dimitrivanderbellen6443 Hi Demitri, thank you for your fantastic response. I can see you have conducted thorough investigation. I have also taken this time during lockdown to spend more time trialling and testing (making lots of mistakes - which indeed has taught me even more) as opposed to simply following recipes. I must say I am very alarmed at the High End (very expensive) cosmetic schools out there that are teaching the 10% dilution as a must!!! Well, happy learning. I'm sure we'll come across each other on another feed again :-) All the very best.

[@susanbaker8898]

dont use ph strip?

[@theinstituteofpersonalcare6401]

A pH meter is better if you will be formulating professionally.

[@cakebreezy]

Hi and thank you so if the product doesn’t contain any water, there’s no need to test PH?

[@theinstituteofpersonalcare6401]

yes that's correct. Please enrol in our FREE Cosmetic Formulation Fundamentals Masterclass to learn this and so much more: personalcarescience.com.au/Workshops/CosmeticFormulationFundamentalsMasterclass-7441/

[@rachelel9087]

I've looked on Amazon to find some pH strips, and the reviews all come back all over the place as far as them being accurate or not. Do you have an amazon link to a brand that you find reliable? Thanks in advance.

[@theinstituteofpersonalcare6401]

Thank you for watching. Try this page for small suppliers in various countries: createcosmeticformulas.com/IngredientSuppliers/Suppliers-897/

[@HennyStruik]

What about haircare products? They are most of the time applied to wet hair so the haircare products that are put on the hair will be diluted. I don't think it is a problem to pH-test those products diluted.

[@theinstituteofpersonalcare6401]

Thank you for watching. You can learn this in full detail by studying with us - all online - learn anywhere in the world! Please contact us for course information and which course is going to best suit you: [e-mail] You can also get your formulation questions answered LIVE with Belinda, join our Patreon channel here: www.patreon.com/personalcarescience

[@nataliaaraujo5123]

Pretty good!!

[@theinstituteofpersonalcare6401]

Thanks for watching, glad you enjoyed!

[@missylee5]

I currently use a standard pH meter. I'm looking at getting a probe that's designed to handle viscous samples and semi-solids, although they are quite a bit more expensive. Do you find a probe to be more accurate or easier to work with than a standard meter?

[@theinstituteofpersonalcare6401]

We have this video all about equipment (from beginners to advanced): kzbin.info/www/bejne/j5uagmONiddljpo - please watch this video as Belinda explains all about the equipment and what to look for when purchasing equipment (from beginners to advanced needs).

[@littlegiant101]

My lotions and creams are pretty thick. How would i be able to test it? Thats why I am always tempted to diluted it. I feel like i don't get an accurate reading if i dont.

[@theinstituteofpersonalcare6401]

Spread a small amount of your emulsion over the strip and wipe off the excess. Don’t dilute them! If you have a probe, run it through the product, your probe should have no issues with thick products. Learn Industry Recognised Cosmetic Science with our Certificate in Advanced Cosmetic Science: personalcarescience.com.au/CosmeticScience/CertificateinAdvancedCosmeticScience-478/ or Diploma of Personal Care Formulation: personalcarescience.com.au/CosmeticScience/DiplomaofPersonalCareFormulation-479/

[@littlegiant101]

@@theinstituteofpersonalcare6401 Thank you 😊

[@susanbaker8898]

i'm making skincare products ph chemistry then use ph strip. how do add in butter, oil, and

[@theinstituteofpersonalcare6401]

You don’t need to test pH in butters or oils because there is no water present to carry charge - which is how pH is measured. In other words, oils and butters don’t have a pH.

[@myanwabuoku]

@@theinstituteofpersonalcare6401what if the hair butter was made with water as well

[@naomidahan912]

What about w/o emulsion?. Way when i put the prob of ph meter at the finish w/o i get result of ph.?what is mean?it is false result?

[@t-.-t.]

Tou cannot test ph of w/o emulsion . You need to set the ph of the water phase before adding the oil phase to it.

[@theinstituteofpersonalcare6401]

It is very difficult to check w/o emulsion pH because the droplets of water that carry the charge (pH) are constantly moving. It would be a false result. If pH matters, check/adjust the water phase before you combine with the oil phase and be careful the pH change won’t impact your overall stability. If you need further or specific help with this, please purchase consulting time and send us full details for us to guide you better: personalcarescience.com.au/Advice/Advice-2046/

[@JJ-ty5dd]

Hi thank you so much for your video! I am having trouble with raising the ph with baking soda for conditioners and I make a 10% Baking soda solution but every time I add a drop into the whole conditioner it turns gray! Is that normal? I tried it on my hair after wards and it was frizzy and my skin was irritated so I am assuming it's not ph balanced?

[@theinstituteofpersonalcare6401]

For more information on how to test pH, please watch this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oajZfXSBaLCUq68 and to make buffer solutions please watch the end of this video: Beginners cosmetic science lecture 1: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qWGsaI2pfNaIns0 You may also find this video useful: Should cosmetics be diluted to test pH: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bpbLmmBtpdd0iq8

[@vishalparmar5375]

If I have a Emulsified Sugar Scrub having ingredients: Emulsifying Wax, Stearic acid, Almond oil, Shea butter, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate (SCI), Cocamidopropyl betaine (CAPB), Decyl Glucoside, Glycerine, Castor Sugar, Fragrance , Phenoxyethanol (1%) and Sodium Benzoate (0.5%). 1. Is there any need to check the pH directly without diluting? 2. Is the above 2 preservative enough for this formulation at concentration mentioned above??

[@theinstituteofpersonalcare6401]

Learn all about checking/adjusting pH and preservative selection with our Certificate in Advanced Cosmetic Science: personalcarescience.com.au/CosmeticScience/CertificateinAdvancedCosmeticScience-478/ or Diploma of Personal Care Formulation: personalcarescience.com.au/CosmeticScience/DiplomaofPersonalCareFormulation-479/

[@saradeir7994]

but how can we measure the pH of a cream without diluting it? do you know any method for it?

[@theinstituteofpersonalcare6401]

You measure it direct - you should NOT dilute a cream to measure the pH. You dip your test strip (or probe) directly into the cream, wipe off the excess and read the results. For more information on how to test pH, please watch this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oajZfXSBaLCUq68 and to make buffer solutions please watch the end of this video: Beginners cosmetic science lecture 1: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qWGsaI2pfNaIns0

[@anasshatwan9823]

perfect

[@theinstituteofpersonalcare6401]

Glad you enjoyed!

[@jemilat6358]

i want to obtain training from u how much?

[@theinstituteofpersonalcare6401]

Please email us: [e-mail] for full course details and help with choosing the right program to suit your learning goals, happy formulating!

[@jemilat6358]

@@theinstituteofpersonalcare6401 pls your whatsapp number

[@jesslineth]

Hello, in a course I took they say we have to dilute the ones like creams or thick ones, so the ph meter doesn't get ruined, what do you think about this?

[@jesslineth]

@@dimitrivanderbellen6443 thank you so much Dimitri

[@GollumSmeagol]

I have a feeling I took the same course as you did, because the one I was in they said exactly the same thing!!!!

[@jesslineth]

@@GollumSmeagol i feel so disappointed with that course specially because it was so expensive and now I see it's not worth it ...

[@GollumSmeagol]

@@jesslineth If we are talking about the same school, I took two classes and the first one was fine, but very simple. The second was the "more advanced" one and they practically didn't teach anything in that class. I had to search on the internet and make projects for them to judge me. Anyway, I agree with you. I finished the course with more questions than answers.

[@theinstituteofpersonalcare6401]

No, that is not correct - pH meters can handle the viscosity! You need to test the actual product straight as it is so that you can be sure about it’s actual pH, not the diluted version.

[@alyaasaad2042]

So I can not test oils ph or apple cider vinegar ph? Must I add water to them to test my diy cosmetics ?

[@theinstituteofpersonalcare6401]

For more information on how to test pH, please watch this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oajZfXSBaLCUq68 and to make buffer solutions please watch the end of this video: Beginners cosmetic science lecture 1: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qWGsaI2pfNaIns0

[@pratik1234shah]

understood above..however i am confused with how do i check pH of a stick formulation (sodium stearate based stick gel) since it is quite soild and pH cannot be tested as it is but the product will be applied as it is without any dilution.. pls help in understnding above. also it would be great if u could help understand how do i drop pH of the formulation for sodium stearate based stick formulation to skin friendly pH while formula remains stable.

[@theinstituteofpersonalcare6401]

You will need to learn with us properly to solve these issues, as it is not a simple ‘type in the description below’ type answer. Please study our Certificate in Advanced Cosmetic Science: personalcarescience.com.au/CosmeticScience/CertificateinAdvancedCosmeticScience-478/ or Diploma of Personal Care Formulation: personalcarescience.com.au/CosmeticScience/DiplomaofPersonalCareFormulation-479/

[@TaehyungKim-ng3yc]

What about shampoos though? They are creamy, but we use them with water, so do we need to mix them with water before testing the ph level?

[@theinstituteofpersonalcare6401]

No - these should not be diluted because they are applied straight to the head and washed off - they are not diluted before use. Also, you need the actives and preservative to be stable in the product as it sits on the shelf -so the actual formulation needs to be pH tested, as is, not diluted.

[@tico25]

😊

[@theinstituteofpersonalcare6401]

Thank you for watching!

[@rusticagenerica]

PeyHeych.