Adding Actives to Liquid Foundation Base

Adding active ingredients like Niacinamide, Pure-EGCG, and Ectoin to a pre-made liquid foundation base requires careful consideration and is generally not recommended without proper formulation knowledge and testing.

Here's why:

• Compatibility and Stability: Liquid foundation bases are complex emulsions containing a delicate balance of oils, water, silicones, pigments, emulsifiers, and stabilizers. Adding external ingredients, especially powders like Niacinamide, Pure-EGCG, and Ectoin, can easily disrupt this balance. This can lead to issues such as:

  • Separation of the foundation layers.
  • Changes in texture (becoming too thick, too thin, or gritty).
  • Alteration of the color or finish.
  • Reduced stability and shelf life of the product.
  • Potential impact on the foundation's performance (e.g., coverage, wear time).

• Solubility and Dispersion: Niacinamide and Ectoin are water-soluble, while Pure-EGCG™ has low water solubility and is better dispersed in a cream or gel base. While you can dissolve or disperse these in a small amount of water before adding, incorporating them evenly into a finished foundation base without affecting its texture and stability is challenging.

• Concentration: Adding a total of 8% active ingredients (5% Niacinamide, 1% Pure-EGCG, 2% Ectoin) is a significant addition to a finished product. While the individual usage rates are within the recommended ranges for these ingredients in a formulation, adding them to an already complete base at these concentrations is likely to cause instability.

• Ingredient Properties:

  • Niacinamide (Safe-B3™): This ingredient is water-soluble and beneficial for skin barrier function, reducing hyperpigmentation, and controlling oil. It is typically used at 1-10%.
  • Pure-EGCG™: This green tea extract is known for its antioxidant and oil-reducing properties. It has low water solubility and is sensitive to heat and light. Recommended usage is 0.1-2%.
  • Ectoine: This ingredient provides cell protection, anti-aging, and moisturizing benefits. It is water-soluble and can withstand a wide pH range and some heat. Recommended usage is 0.5-2.0%.

Recommendation:

It is best practice to incorporate active ingredients like Niacinamide, Pure-EGCG, and Ectoine during the initial formulation process of a foundation or cosmetic product, rather than attempting to add them to a finished base. This allows for proper integration, stability testing, and ensures the final product performs as intended.

Adding them directly to a finished Liquid Foundation (Compare to Estee) base is likely to compromise the quality and stability of the foundation.