Guidance on Formula Adjustment and Texture Change

Reducing Stickiness in Gel Texture

If your gel formula feels too sticky on the skin, you can improve the texture by adding ingredients that provide slip. These ingredients help reduce the tacky feeling. Recommended ingredients include:

• Cyclomethicone or LipidSoft D5 (Cyclomethicone Replacer): Can be added at 5-10% of the formula. The benefit is a soft, smooth, and light feel, but some people might be sensitive to silicones.
• PowderCream: This polymer powder helps give creams or gels a powdery feel upon application, making the product feel lighter and smoother.

You can also consider other ingredients from the Emollient category that are known to improve skin feel and reduce stickiness.

Changing from Gel to Cream Texture

Cream texture differs from gel texture primarily by containing an oil phase, whereas gels are water-based. If you wish to change from a gel formula using Pro Polymer to a cream, you can do so by replacing Pro Polymer with Light Cream Maker and incorporating an oil phase into your formula, typically at least 5%.

Example of Converting a Gel Formula to a Cream

Taking your original anti-wrinkle gel formula as an example:

• Distilled Water
• DMAE (Skin Tight MD)
• Vitamin B3, Niacinamide (Safe-B3)
• Pep-Coll (syn-coll)
• Vitamin B5
• Pro Polymer
• Phenoxyethanol

To convert this to a cream texture, you would divide the ingredients into two main phases (water and oil) and use Light Cream Maker as the emulsifier:

Part A: Water Phase

• Distilled Water (Adjust quantity)
• DMAE (Skin Tight MD)
• Vitamin B3, Niacinamide (Safe-B3)
• Pep-Coll (syn-coll)
• Vitamin B5 (Consider reducing the amount if stickiness is a concern)

Part B: Oil Phase

• A chosen LipidSoft type (e.g., LipidSoft C1215, LipidSoft Palm, LipidSoft Lite) at least 5%
• Light Cream Maker at 1-2% (Adjust based on desired thickness)

Part C: Preservative

• Phenoxyethanol

General Mixing Steps for Cream

1. Combine all ingredients in the water phase (Part A) and stir or blend until fully dissolved.
2. Combine all ingredients in the oil phase (Part B). You might need to gently heat this phase (around 50°C) if any ingredients are solid or semi-solid.
3. Combine the water phase (A) and oil phase (B). Slowly pour the oil phase into the water phase while continuously stirring or blending until a smooth, uniform cream is formed.
4. Add the preservative (Part C) and any other ingredients that need to be added in the final step (e.g., heat-sensitive ingredients). Stir to combine.

Important Considerations:

• A high concentration of Vitamin B5 (e.g., 10%) can contribute to a sticky feel, even in a cream base. You might consider reducing the amount or using Vitamin B5 ExtraLite™ for a lighter feel.
• Using Light Cream Maker in formulas containing Electrolytes (such as DMAE or Azelaic Acid) can cause the cream to become thinner. You may need to increase the amount of Light Cream Maker to achieve the desired viscosity.

Cream vs. Gel Texture: Which is Better?

Neither cream nor gel texture is inherently better; the choice depends on your skin type and personal preference:

• Gel Texture: Best suited for oily skin as it is oil-free and will not add extra oiliness to the skin.
• Cream Texture: Generally suitable for normal to dry skin as it contains oils that help to create a protective barrier, reduce moisture loss, and leave the skin feeling hydrated and soft.

You can choose the texture that feels most comfortable and beneficial for your skin type.