A cream is a spreadable formula intended for external use for the care and treatment of the skin. Creams consist of an aqueous and an oily component, which are combined as an emulsion.

Structure of creams

Cream is usually available in a jar, a tube or a tin.

As care products, creams play an important role. They serve as the basis for embedding an active ingredient that is to be applied to the skin.

Creams belong to the category of emulsions. They consist of an aqueous and an oily component. Oil and water normally do not dissolve in each other. Therefore, both raw materials are mixed together to an emulsion in a special process.

Emulsions are divided into water-in-oil emulsions type W/O and oil-in-water emulsions O/W type:

lipophilic creams (water-in-oil type): here, the aqueous components are found as droplets in the oily phase

hydrophilic creams (oil-in-water type): here, the oily liquid is within the aqueous component

Basic ingredients of the lipophilic, fat-friendly phase are paraffins based on mineral oil or artificially produced glycerides. Alternatives are vegetable fats and oils such as olive oil or coconut oil, or animal waxes, e.g. beeswax or lanolin. To achieve a typical cream consistency, emulsifiers are needed, e.g. polysorbates for oil-in-water creams or lanolin alcohols for water-in-oil creams.

Creams are used for skin care, especially in cosmetics. Creams are therefore specially developed for the different skin areas of the body.

Common types are:

Hand creams

Foot creams

Face creams

Eye creams