Answer for Dry, Sensitive Skin and Thickening Issue

Based on your experience and the staff's feedback, it is understood that you experienced itching after using the first formula containing Urea and Gluconolactone, and you are seeking alternative moisturizing ingredients suitable for very dry, sensitive skin. You also encountered a thickening issue when adding Glycerin in your second attempt.

Based on the information, the staff correctly identified that Urea and Gluconolactone can potentially cause skin irritation, especially for sensitive skin types. While both are effective for moisturizing and exfoliation (in the case of Gluconolactone), they can be too harsh for some individuals.

For very dry and sensitive skin, alternative moisturizing ingredients that are generally well-tolerated and highly effective include:

• Shea Butter: This is a rich emollient that provides intense hydration, helps repair the skin barrier, and has soothing properties. It's excellent for softening and smoothing very dry skin.
• MOIST24: This ingredient is a humectant that helps the skin retain moisture throughout the day. It's known for providing effective hydration without feeling sticky and can improve the texture of the final product.
• Panthenol (Vitamin B5): A versatile ingredient that acts as both a humectant and an emollient. It helps attract and hold moisture, soothes irritation, reduces redness, and supports the skin's natural healing process, making it ideal for sensitive and dry skin.
• Double Hyaluron Liquid: This product contains different molecular weights of Hyaluronic Acid, allowing it to hydrate both the surface and deeper layers of the skin. Hyaluronic Acid is a powerful humectant that draws moisture into the skin, improving hydration and plumpness.

These ingredients are included in the alternative formula suggested by the staff and are good options to replace Urea and Gluconolactone for sensitive, dry skin.

Regarding the thickening issue when adding Glycerin to your second attempt with the first formula: Glycerin is a humectant that dissolves in water. In a water-in-oil emulsion like the one using Water-in-Oil EZ™, the water phase is dispersed within the oil phase. Adding a significant amount of a water-soluble ingredient like Glycerin (4% in your case) to the water phase can sometimes affect the stability and viscosity of the emulsion, especially if the balance between the oil phase, water phase, and emulsifier is altered. The mixing method is also crucial for water-in-oil emulsions – the water phase must be added slowly to the oil phase while continuously mixing. If the emulsion breaks or doesn't form correctly, it won't thicken as expected. The staff's suggested formula uses a different combination and ratio of ingredients, which might be more stable with the Water-in-Oil EZ™ emulsifier.

Here is a summary of the ingredients discussed:

• Ingredients that may cause irritation for sensitive skin: Urea, Gluconolactone
• Alternative moisturizing ingredients for dry, sensitive skin: Shea Butter, MOIST24, Panthenol (Vitamin B5), Double Hyaluron Liquid
• Emulsifier used: Water-in-Oil EZ™
• Preservative used: Phenoxyethanol SA
• Oil used in the original formula: Mineral Oil
• Humectant added in the second attempt: Glycerin

Consider trying the alternative formula provided by the staff, as it uses ingredients less likely to cause irritation and is designed to provide good hydration for dry skin.