Glossary · Formulation
What Is Viscosity?
Viscosity is a fluid's resistance to flow — in practice, how thick or thin a product is. Cosmetic viscosity is set by the emulsifier system, thickeners, the oil-to-water ratio and the manufacturing process, and it is specified as a range with a test method and temperature, because the same formula reads differently under different conditions.
Why it matters when you source
Viscosity drift is the classic symptom of a process difference between sample and production run. Specify it with a method and a temperature when you brief, and put the acceptable range on the specification sheet so a deviation is a fact rather than an argument.
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