SOFTISAN® 378

SOFTISAN® 378 is a soft butter-like emollient made from a blend of four different triglycerides. You might recognize the components of medium chain triglycerides as the first two (Caprylic & Capric; liquid) and Stearic Acid (solid) as the last one.

It’s not a butter, but it behaves very much like one and can be used in most places you’d use a soft butter like shea butter or mango butter.

It is natural and vegan.

SOFTISAN® 378 is supplied by IOI Oleo. Kobo makes an INCI-identical product they call SALACOS® 334.

Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride

Pale solid

Formulator Sample Shop recommends 0.1–2%; Making Cosmetics recommends 2–30%.

Soft, creamy butter

Slightly fatty

Medium

39–42°C (102–108°F)

Oil

SOFTISAN® 378 can be used in formulations to boost creaminess and emollience the same way you’d use a soft butter like shea butter or mango butter.

It’s also a great ingredient to include to prevent/reduce graininess in formulations that are prone to going grainy over time.

No, but I think it’s a great ingredient to have on hand if you adore working with graininess-prone butters like shea and mango.

SOFTISAN® 378 only exists as a refined product.

It’s very stable, a lovely buttery emollient that feels less greasy than shea butter, and helps prevent graininess in products that can be quite prone to going grainy.

It’s not widely available—I’ve only found it for sale in the US.

Mango butter is similarly solid, creamy, and light on the skin, but won’t prevent graininess.

Cera Bellina is said to help with graininess as well, but it is not vegan, and is made from beeswax so it a much more potent thickener than SOFTISAN® 378 and has a very different skin feel.

Include SOFTISAN® 378 in the heated oil phase of your formulations.

Stored somewhere cool, dark, and dry, SOFTISAN® 378 should last at least two years. The manufacturer boasts “exceptional oxidative stability“.

You can find this ingredient in quite a few luxury products, including La Mer’s “The Intensive Revitalizing Mask”, StriVectin’s “Wrinkle Recode™ Moisture Rich Barrier Cream”, Estée Lauder’s “Re-nutriv Ultimate Renewal Nourishing Radiance Cream”, and Bobbi Brown’s “Extra Repair Moisture Cream Intense”. It’s the second ingredient in the StriVectin & Estée Lauder products!

60g (2 oz)

 Buy it from an online DIY ingredient supplier. I’ve found it at Formulator Sample Shop and Making Cosmetics in the USA.