an emulsifier composition for skin care formulations , which is present in the form of a bilayer lamellar gel network , which is stable up to a temperature of about 50 ° c ., comprising by weight , about 3 - 40 % of a high hlb swellant which is lecithin , and a blend of low hlb emulsifier gellants , to 100 %, the blend of gellants having a resultant hlb of about 1 . 5 to about 5 . in a skin care formulation , the lamellar gel network forms a discrete third phase between the oil and water phases .