Find the perfect emulsifier blend for your oil phase. Enter your oils, pick your emulsifiers, and get instant blend ratios with match-quality scoring.
Required HLB
7.6
May be unstable - consider adjusting oil blend or using co-emulsifiers
Emulsifier Blend
Exact MatchSpan 60 (Sorbitan Stearate)
HLB 4.7
71.6%
Tween 60 (Polysorbate 60)
HLB 14.9
28.4%
HLB Scale (0 - 20)
This calculator uses published HLB values. Always verify with stability testing. Formuley tracks HLB values for 200+ oils automatically.
The Hydrophilic-Lipophilic Balance (HLB) system is a scale from 0 to 20 that classifies surfactants and emulsifiers based on their relative attraction to water versus oil. A value near 0 is completely lipophilic (oil-loving), while a value near 20 is completely hydrophilic (water-loving).
Developed by William C. Griffin in 1949, the HLB system is one of the most reliable methods for selecting emulsifiers in cosmetic formulation. Every oil has a “required HLB” — the HLB value an emulsifier system must achieve to create a stable emulsion with that oil.
To formulate with the HLB system, you calculate the weighted-average required HLB of your oil phase, then blend two emulsifiers (one low-HLB and one high-HLB) in the ratio needed to hit that target. This pairing approach produces more stable emulsions than using a single emulsifier.
| HLB Range | Application |
|---|---|
| 3 - 6 | W/O Emulsifiers |
| 7 - 9 | Wetting Agents |
| 8 - 18 | O/W Emulsifiers |
| 13 - 15 | Detergents |
| 15 - 18 | Solubilizers |
The most reliable approach is the HLB pairing method. Instead of searching for a single emulsifier that matches your required HLB exactly, you blend two emulsifiers: one with a low HLB value and one with a high HLB value.
Find the weighted average of the required HLB values for every oil in your formula, based on their percentages in the oil phase.
Choose one emulsifier below the required HLB (e.g., Span 60 at 4.7) and one above (e.g., Tween 60 at 14.9). The pair should bracket your target value.
Use the formula: % High = (Required HLB - Low HLB) / (High HLB - Low HLB) × 100. The remaining percentage is the low-HLB emulsifier.
Pro tip: Span/Tween pairs (e.g., Span 60 + Tween 60) are the classic go-to because they share the same fatty acid base, producing a tighter interfacial film. For conditioning emulsions, BTMS-50 paired with Ceteareth-20 is a popular choice.
| Oil / Butter | Required HLB |
|---|---|
| Mineral Oil | 10 |
| Castor Oil | 14 |
| Coconut Oil | 8 |
| Olive Oil | 7 |
| Jojoba Oil | 6.5 |
| Sweet Almond Oil | 7 |
| Shea Butter | 8 |
| Avocado Oil | 7 |
| Sunflower Oil | 7 |
| Grapeseed Oil | 7 |
| Apricot Kernel Oil | 7 |
| Argan Oil | 7 |
Values are approximate and sourced from published emulsifier supplier data. Formuley's database includes 200+ oils with verified HLB values.
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