High-Shear Emulsifier in Cosmetics Manufacturing
Background
A small-to-medium cosmetics company located in Southern Europe focuses on producing natural skincare products, including facial lotions, body creams, and eye serums. Prior to 2022, the company used a traditional low-shear mixing system to emulsify oil and water-based ingredients.
This equipment posed two major challenges: First, it required long mixing times (up to 90 minutes per batch of facial lotion) to achieve a basic emulsion, leading to bottlenecks in production during peak order periods. Second, the resulting emulsions had inconsistent particle sizes, causing some batches to develop separation or a grainy texture within a few months of production—issues that led to product returns and reduced customer trust.
Solution Adoption
In mid-2022, the company switched to a high-shear emulsifier with a rotor-stator assembly (capable of speeds up to 12,000 RPM) and a 30-liter stainless steel mixing tank. The device was selected for its ability to create fine, uniform emulsions and its compatibility with the natural, temperature-sensitive ingredients (such as plant oils and herbal extracts) the company uses.
Outcomes
- Faster Production Cycles: The high-shear emulsifier reduced mixing time for facial lotion batches from 90 minutes to 35 minutes—a 61% decrease. This allowed the company to increase monthly production capacity by 40% without adding extra shifts, helping it meet sudden surges in demand for its best-selling body cream.
- Enhanced Product Stability: The device’s high-shear forces broke down oil droplets to an average size of 2-5 microns, creating a more stable emulsion. Product separation incidents dropped from 12% of batches to less than 2% within a year, and customer returns related to texture issues fell by 55%. Additionally, the improved emulsion stability extended the products’ shelf life by 3 months, reducing waste from expired inventory.
- Simplified Operation: Unlike the complex low-shear system, the high-shear emulsifier featured an intuitive control panel that allowed operators to adjust speed and mixing time with minimal training. This reduced the risk of human error—previously a cause of inconsistent batches—and cut the time needed to train new production staff by 50%.
Feedback
“The high-shear emulsifier transformed how we make our skincare products,” noted the company’s production supervisor. “We no longer rush to meet deadlines or worry about batches failing quality checks. Our team can focus on perfecting formulations instead of troubleshooting mixing issues, and our customers have noticed the difference in product quality. It’s been a game-changer for our small business.”
