Thiamine

Thiamine at a glance

Thiamine is a powder that dissolves in water. It is vitamin B1, the first B vitamin to be discovered. In cosmetics it is usually part of a B-vitamin complex for skin and hair. The supplier specification lists creams, masks, balms, serums, tonics, gels and cleansing bars. Confirm purity on the supplier CoA.

The B-vitamin family

B vitamins are a group of water-soluble vitamins with familiar names. In cosmetics, panthenol (B5) and niacinamide (B3) are the stars, while thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2) and pyridoxine (B6) often complete a complex. A vitamin complex gives a product a rich, recognizable story.

Product formats

Creams and balms

Moisturizers enriched with B vitamins.

Serums and tonics

Water-based serums and toners.

Gels

Light gels for face and hair.

Masks

Cream and gel masks.

Processing

Dissolve thiamine in the water phase and add it at cool-down. It is most stable in mildly acidic conditions and is sensitive to heat, light and high pH. Use opaque packaging and keep the pH in the slightly acidic range.

Odor

Thiamine has a characteristic odor that can come through in light products. Test the fragrance at the planned level and check the scent after storage.

Good partners

Pyridoxine, Niacinamide and D-panthenol build a complete B-vitamin complex. Browse more in the actives catalog.

Testing

Check odor, color and pH over time and under light exposure.

Claims

Vitamin B1 enriched; part of a B-vitamin complex; skin and hair look healthy.

Characteristics

Form: powder. Solubility: water. Type: vitamin B1. Listed uses: creams, masks, balms, serums, tonics, gels, cleansing bars. Grade: supplier CoA.

Original recipe: B-vitamin face toner, 100 g

Distilled water 90.70 g, glycerin 3.00 g, thiamine 0.20 g, niacinamide 2.00 g, D-panthenol 1.50 g, pyridoxine 0.20 g, allantoin 0.20 g, phenoxyethanol and ethylhexylglycerin 1.00 g, citric acid 0.50 g, sodium citrate 0.50 g, fragrance 0.20 g. Dissolve all vitamins and allantoin in water with glycerin, add the preservative and fragrance, adjust the pH to mildly acidic and fill into opaque bottles.

Stability planning

Water-soluble vitamins can lose strength over time. Keep products in cool, dark conditions, use opaque packaging and run stability tests at 40 °C to estimate shelf life.

Directions for users

Toners with B vitamins can be used morning and evening after cleansing. Suggest following with a moisturizer.

Hair care

In hair tonics, thiamine can join other B vitamins and amino acids for a vitamin-enriched scalp care story.

Range ideas

A B-vitamin toner, a cream and a hair tonic can share thiamine.

Lot records

Keep each CoA with the batch file and note the lot used.

Combining several vitamins

When building a vitamin complex, dissolve each vitamin fully before adding the next and check the pH after each addition. Some vitamins shift the pH, and the complex is most stable when the final pH suits all of them. Keep a record of the order of addition, since it can affect clarity.

Labeling

List thiamine under its INCI name and describe the complex in simple words on the front label. A clear, honest description works better than long technical claims.

Gels

In gels, choose a thickener that tolerates a mildly acidic pH, such as hydroxyethylcellulose or xanthan.

Lab tip

Weigh small vitamin amounts on a scale that reads to a hundredth of a gram, and dissolve thiamine before adding fragrance.

Batch consistency

Compare the odor of each new lot with a retained sample, since thiamine odor can vary slightly between suppliers.

Storage

Store closed in a dry, dark place. Close the container after use.