Adding Actives and Penetration Enhancers to Gel and Cream Bases

When adding active ingredients to bases like Aloe Vera Gel (Heavy), Aloe Vera Gel (Lite), or Absolue Soft Cream Base, whether you need to add additional penetration enhancers such as DMI or Pentylene Glycol depends primarily on the specific active ingredient you are using.

• Aloe Vera Gel (Heavy) and Aloe Vera Gel (Lite): These are water-based gel formulations designed to accept additional active ingredients. While they provide a suitable vehicle, the penetration of the added active will depend on its properties (solubility, molecular size, etc.). For some actives, particularly those that are less water-soluble or larger molecules, adding a penetration enhancer could help improve their delivery into the skin.
• Absolue Soft Cream Base: This cream base is formulated with ingredients that include various glycols (like Butylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, Propanediol, Caprylyl Glycol) and Glycerin, which can assist in solubilizing and enhancing the penetration of certain active ingredients. Therefore, for some actives, this base might provide sufficient delivery on its own. However, for actives that are particularly challenging to deliver, adding an additional enhancer might still be beneficial.

In summary, it is not automatically necessary to add DMI or Pentylene Glycol every time you add an active to these bases. You should consider the characteristics of your specific active ingredient and evaluate if its penetration needs to be enhanced for optimal efficacy. The Absolue Soft Cream Base already contains some ingredients that aid penetration, while the Aloe Vera Gels are simpler aqueous systems where an enhancer might be more frequently considered depending on the active.