Answer regarding Activated Resorcinol™

1. Use of Phenoxyethanol in Activated Resorcinol™ 1% Oil Formula

If your formula consists of Fractionated Coconut Oil and Activated Resorcinol™ 1% with absolutely no water content, it is not necessary to add Phenoxyethanol. Phenoxyethanol is a preservative used to prevent microbial growth in the water phase. In a purely oil-based system, there is no risk of contamination from microorganisms that require water to grow.

2. Skin Penetration Efficacy: Oil vs. Cream Formulations

For combination skin with melasma, the product format affects skin penetration efficacy:

• Oil Format (Fractionated Coconut Oil + Activated Resorcinol™): Activated Resorcinol™ is oil-soluble. Fractionated Coconut Oil is a light and easily absorbed oil. However, generally, oil alone tends not to penetrate as deeply into the skin compared to emulsion formats (creams), as skin consists of both water and oil layers.
• Cream Format (using Light Cream Maker): Using Light Cream Maker to create a cream texture (an Oil-in-Water emulsion) allows Activated Resorcinol™, which is dissolved in oil, to be dispersed within the water phase of the cream as well. This gives the product properties that are compatible with both the water and oil components of the skin. Generally, emulsion formats facilitate better penetration of active ingredients into the skin layers than pure oil formats.

Therefore, for combination skin with both oily and dry areas and a need for effective penetration to address melasma, a cream format using an emulsifier like Light Cream Maker is likely to provide better skin penetration efficacy than a pure oil format. This is because it can interact with both the water and oil parts of the skin, allowing the active ingredient like Activated Resorcinol™ to reach its target more effectively.