Achieving Clear Serum Texture with Oil and Water Ingredients (Estee Lauder ANR)

Question

Based on the ingredient list provided for Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair serum, which has a clear texture, how is this clear serum texture achieved despite the presence of both water and oil ingredients? Specifically, which ingredients are used to combine the water and oil phases to result in a clear texture?

Ingredient list:
Aqua/Water, ETHYLHEXYL METHOXYCINNAMATE, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Dirometrizole Trisiloxane, Terephthaylidene DiCamphor Sulfonic Acid, Propylene Glycol, Titanium Dioxide, Alcohol denat., Triethanolamine, Stearic Acid, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Nylon-12, Palmitic Acid, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Phenoxyethanol, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Aluminium Hydroxide, Methylparaben, Sodium Cocoyl Sarcosinate, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Tocopherol, Tromethamine, Ethylparaben, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, isohexadecane, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Adenosine, Arginine, Polysorbate 80, Mannitol, RNA, Pyridoxine HCL, Disodium Adenosine Triphosphate, Histidine HCl, Zea Mays (Corn) Kernel Extract, PhenylAlanine, Faex/Yeast Extract, Tyrosine, Mentha Piperita (Pepermint) Leaf Extract, Rosa Gallica Flower Extract, (F.I.L. D170412/1)

MySkinRecipes Expert · Accepted Answer

Based on the ingredient list of the Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair serum, the clear serum texture, despite containing both water and oil-based ingredients, is achieved through the use of specific gelling agents and solubilizers.

Key ingredients that contribute to this clear, stable texture include:

Gelling Agents/Thickeners: Ingredients like Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Carbomer, and Xanthan Gum are used to create the gel structure of the serum. Certain types of Carbomers and Xanthan Gum, as well as Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, are known for their ability to form clear gels and can help stabilize emulsions containing oil. Triethanolamine is present to neutralize the Carbomer, allowing it to thicken and form a gel.
Solubilizers: Polysorbate 80 is a solubilizer that helps to effectively disperse oil-based ingredients within the water phase, contributing to the clarity and stability of the serum.
Emulsifiers: While ingredients like Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, PEG-100 Stearate, and Glyceryl Stearate are typically used as emulsifiers in opaque creams and lotions, their presence in this formula, likely at lower concentrations or in combination with the gelling agents and solubilizers, helps to integrate the oil phase without necessarily creating an opaque emulsion.

The precise combination and concentration of these ingredients work together to create a stable system where the oil phase is finely dispersed within the water/gel matrix, resulting in the characteristic clear serum appearance.