Mixing Ingredients into Existing Products

Regarding your questions about adding ingredients to your existing lotion, hair treatment cream, and using Vitamin C:

1. Adding ingredients to lotion (Safe-B3™, Hydro Protein, Vitamin E): Yes, it is generally possible to add beneficial ingredients like Safe-B3™ (Vitamin B3, Niacinamide), Hydro Protein, and Vitamin E (Tocopheryl Acetate) to an existing lotion base. However, the most critical factor is checking the pH compatibility between the ingredients you want to add and the existing lotion. Some lotion bases cannot tolerate significant changes in pH, which could lead to instability, such as thinning or separation of the water and oil phases.

2. Adding ingredients to hair treatment cream (Vitamin E, Pure Keratin™): Similarly, adding Vitamin E (Tocopheryl Acetate) and Pure Keratin™ to a hair treatment cream is possible. Again, pH compatibility is important to maintain the stability and texture of the hair cream.

   For both lotion and hair cream, the staff recommends a simple test: mix a small amount of the ingredients you want to add with a small amount of your existing product base. Observe if there are any changes in texture, consistency, or separation. If there are no visible changes, it is likely compatible.

   It is also crucial to use cosmetic ingredients at the recommended usage levels provided by the manufacturer or regulatory bodies (like the FDA). Using concentrations higher than recommended may not provide additional benefits and could potentially cause skin or hair irritation.

3. Using Vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid) 10% with water and Disodium EDTA: You can mix Vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid) at 10% with water and Disodium EDTA (0.2% of the water) for single use. However, the staff notes that the effectiveness will be less compared to using a more suitable base like a cream or gel, or a formula that includes penetration enhancers. Water alone is not as effective at helping ingredients absorb into the skin.

4. Using Vitamin C mixture with a compressed mask vs. just water: Using the mixture with a compressed mask might offer some benefit by keeping the solution in contact with the skin, but it may not significantly improve penetration if it's just a water base. The staff recommends creating a gel texture for better results, even a thin gel, using a gelling agent like Pro Polymer. Furthermore, incorporating penetration enhancers such as Ethoxydiglycol, PE-1 Aqua, or Phospholipid into your formula is highly recommended to significantly improve the absorption and overall effectiveness of the active ingredients like Vitamin C.

For Vitamin C formulations, you can also look at example formulas shared by other users, such as the "Vitamin C E Ferulic" formula, for inspiration on creating more effective products.