How to formulate with
SeaBalanceⓇ 2000
Let’s dive deep into the ins and outs of Seabalance® 2000, your ultimate emulsifier made from seaweed.

Get ready to explore the answers to your most pressing questions as formulators!
Tips and Tricks to Get Started
High-shear will
make a big
difference
  • SeaBalance is a Pickering emulsifier. High-shear is mandatory to form an emulsion.
  • High shear mixing is required to overcome the interfacial tension and ensure the Pickering particles are evenly dispersed at the oil/water interface.
  • Insufficient shear results in oil droplets on the surface.
Flexibility:
Water phase &
one-pot process
dispersal
  • Process matters!
  • Two ways to formulate with SeaBalance:
    • Disperse SeaBalance in the water phase and homogenize.
    • Use One-Pot process: Add all the ingredients at the same time and homogenize.
Surfactants:
A little goes a
long way
  • SeaBalance is a surfactant-free technology, and has no HLB requirement.
  • However, if you don’t have high-shear, or if you are having difficulty achieving small droplets, a small amount of surfactant (e.g. Ethylhexyl Glycerin or Caprylyl Glycol) can help to get smaller oil droplets and a white shiny emulsion.
Frequently Asked Questions
Oceanic
Odor
Thickening
Agents
Small Oil
Droplets
Oil
Compatibility
HLB
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Oceanic Odor
  • SeaBalance is a seaweed-based ingredient with a slight oceanic odor due to the high naturality and gentle extraction process.
  • How to manage SeaBalance odor?
    • For fragrance-free formulations, you can add a weak acid in the water phase. Ex. example, citric acid or lactic acid. The acid can be added in the water phase or at the end of the process once the emulsion is done.
    • In Hot Process, you may notice a stronger odor, but it will dissipate when you cool down your bulk.
    • Of course, you can add a fragrance!
Thickening Agents
  • SeaBalance does not respond in a typical way to thickening with fatty alcohols, butters or waxes.
  • In systems relying on thickening by fatty alcohols, the viscosity increases by the formation of a chain network, but with SeaBalance, there is a reduced thickening effect.
  • With SeaBalance, there is a reduced thickening effect
    • Cellulose gum can have a synergistic effect to boost viscosity.
    • Combining SeaBalance with a co-emulsifier like sorbitan stearate will increase viscosity.
    • For creamier textures, you will need to play with the type of emollients and oil concentration.
Oil Compatibility
  • In general, SeaBalance 2000 is compatible with all types of oils (vegetable oils, mineral oils, alkanes, silicones).
  • Some esters can be more challenging & may require more work.
Small Oil Droplets
    Process matters with SeaBalance!
  • It can be used with most standard manufacturing processes using a rotor/stator type homogenizer.
  • It is important to use high-shear and we recommend to be under the highest shear conditions possible to get a white shiny emulsion.
HLB
  • SeaBalance technology is a surfactant-free, Pickering emulsifier technology, which means there is no HLB requirement.
  • HLB does not apply to SeaBalance.