Formulation Feedback and Adjustments

Let's review your gel formulation and address your questions:

Your current formula is:

• Ethyl Alcohol (99.9%) = 70%
• Pro Polymer = 0.5%
• Aloe Vera Extract = 2%
• German Chamomile Extract = 2%
• Distilled Water = 25.50%

Total = 100%

Here are the points regarding adjustments and adding ingredients:

Percentage Adjustments

• Pro Polymer: Your current percentage of 0.5% might be too low to create a stable gel texture, especially with 2% Aloe Vera Extract, which is an electrolyte and can reduce the viscosity of gels made with Pro Polymer. The recommended usage rate for Pro Polymer is 0.5-5%, with 0.8% suggested for a general gel. When electrolytes are present, increasing Pro Polymer to 2-3% is often necessary to achieve the desired thickness. You may need to increase Pro Polymer to around 1.5-2% and test the viscosity.
• German Chamomile Extract (Natural Bisabolol): The recommended usage rate for Natural Bisabolol is 0.5-1%, with 1% being the recommended maximum for optimal effect. Your current percentage of 2% is higher than recommended. It is advisable to reduce the amount to 1% or less.
• Ethyl Alcohol: 70% is a high percentage, suitable for products like hand sanitizers. If this is your intended product type, this percentage is acceptable. If it's a different type of gel, you might consider if a lower alcohol content is more appropriate for skin feel, which would require adjusting other ingredients accordingly.

Including Chamomile Extract

Yes, you can definitely include German Chamomile Extract (Natural Bisabolol). It is beneficial for reducing skin irritation and has a gentle skin brightening effect. However, as mentioned above, the percentage should be reduced to within the recommended range of 0.5-1%.

Adding Natural Essential Oils

Yes, you can add Natural Essential Oils to provide fragrance. Essential oils are potent and typically used at low concentrations in cosmetic formulas. A common usage rate is between 0.1% and 1%. For a high-alcohol formula like this, starting with a lower percentage, such as 0.1% to 0.5%, is recommended to avoid potential irritation or an overly strong scent. The exact percentage will depend on the specific essential oil chosen and the desired fragrance intensity.

Sample Adjusted Formula

Based on the above points, here is a possible adjusted formula. You should always make small test batches and adjust percentages based on the desired texture and performance.

• Ethyl Alcohol (99.9%) = 70%
• Pro Polymer = 1.5% (Adjust based on desired gel thickness)
• Aloe Vera Extract = 2%
• Natural Bisabolol (Brazil Chamomile) = 1% (Reduce from 2%)
• Natural Essential Oil = 0.2% (Adjust based on desired scent)
• Distilled Water = 25.3% (Adjust to make total 100%)

Total = 100%

Remember to mix the Pro Polymer according to the supplier's instructions, especially considering the presence of electrolytes like Aloe Vera Extract. Natural Bisabolol is oil-soluble and should be mixed in the oil phase or with an emulsifier before combining with the water/alcohol phase, although in a high alcohol formula like this, it should dissolve.