Analysis of DIY Moisturizer Formula for Sensitive Skin
Question
I would like the team to help analyze my formula.
My skin is very fair and sensitive. I am over 30, work in an office, drive, and am not exposed to much sun or pollution. Currently, I have no wrinkles or crow's feet, but my face often develops itchy rashes. A doctor told me I am allergic to animal dander and yeast on my face, confirmed by lab tests showing mites.
In my youth, I had oily skin, and it's possible my skin was previously dependent on steroids, but not severely. I had some acne, but never a severe breakout.
I want to choose a moisturizer that provides hydration, helps with wrinkle care, brightens the skin, and does not cause allergic reactions, irritation, or clogged pores. Most importantly, I want it to strengthen my skin.
I selected the ingredients based on their claimed benefits for skin nourishment and whether they are stated to be non-allergenic or non-comedogenic. Additionally, I chose ingredients that prevent allergies and irritation and help strengthen the skin, as I am concerned about allergic reactions and want my skin's health and structure to be strong again.
Here is my proposed formula based on Pure Aloe Vera Gel:
- Whitening: Perfect-C™ (ไวตามินซี ชนิดเสถียร): Perfect-C™ (Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate) 10%
- Moisturizing: Vitamin B5 (Panthenol): Vitamin B5 5%
- Moisturizing: Sea Kelp Bioferment: Sea Kelp Bioferment 10%
- Moisturizing: Beta Glucan (เบต้ากลูแคน): Beta Glucan 10%
- Moisturizing: Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate: Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate 20%
- Anti-Irritant: Allantoin (อาลันโทอิน): Allantoin 0.2-0.5% (maximum usable)
- Anti-Irritant (แก้แพ้/ระคายเคือง): Bisabolol (ไบซาโบลอล): Bisabolol 1%
- Anti-Irritant: Vitamin B12: Vitamin B12 (Cyanocobalamin) 3%
- Anti-Acne: Licorice Root Extract (Licochalcone A): Licorice Root Extract (Licochalcone A) 1.0%
- Anti-Aging: Adenosine Complex: Adenosine Complex 5%
- Anti-Aging: Repair Activator™: Repair Activator™ 10%
Will my formula work? Could you please analyze it or provide recommendations for educational purposes? Thank you very much.
Answer
Analysis of Your Proposed Moisturizer Formula for Sensitive Skin
Dear User,
Thank you for sharing your detailed skincare formula and skin concerns. It's great that you've researched ingredients based on their properties and your specific needs, especially focusing on soothing and barrier repair for your sensitive skin prone to itching and diagnosed sensitivities.
Let's analyze your proposed formula:
Strengths of Your Formula:
- You've included many excellent ingredients known for their soothing, anti-inflammatory, hydrating, and skin barrier strengthening properties: Aloe Vera, Vitamin B5 (Panthenol), Beta Glucan, Allantoin, Bisabolol, Licorice Root Extract, and Vitamin B12. These are well-chosen for sensitive, easily irritated skin.
- The choice of Perfect-C (Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate) is good for sensitive skin as it's a stable and less irritating form of Vitamin C for whitening and antioxidant benefits.
- Ingredients for anti-aging (Perfect-C, Adenosine) are included to address your goal of preventing future wrinkles.
Potential Concerns and Recommendations:
- Sensitivity to Yeast and Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate: This is the most significant potential issue. Given your history of sensitivity to yeast on your face, introducing Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate at a high concentration (20%) carries a notable risk of triggering a reaction. While Galactomyces is a specific type of yeast, individuals with yeast sensitivities can sometimes react to fermented ingredients. Recommendation: It is highly advisable to omit Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate from your formula or perform a very cautious patch test on a small, inconspicuous area before applying it to your face.
- High Concentration of Actives: Your formula combines a large number of active ingredients at relatively high percentages. While this can potentially increase efficacy, it also significantly increases the risk of irritation, redness, or unexpected reactions, especially for sensitive skin. Even with soothing ingredients, the sheer load can be overwhelming. Recommendation: Consider starting with a simpler formula focusing on your primary concerns (soothing, hydration, barrier repair) and gradually introduce other actives like Perfect-C or Adenosine once your skin is stable. Alternatively, reduce the concentrations of some actives, particularly if you experience any irritation during testing.
- "Repair Activator™": As this is a trade name, the specific components are unknown. Without knowing its composition, it's difficult to assess its compatibility with other ingredients and its potential for irritation. Recommendation: Try to find out the exact ingredients of "Repair Activator™" to make an informed decision.
- Formulation Complexity and Stability: Creating a stable, effective, and safe cosmetic product with this many diverse ingredients at high concentrations is a complex process that typically requires expertise in cosmetic chemistry. Simply mixing ingredients might lead to instability, reduced efficacy, or even the formation of irritating byproducts. The Aloe Vera Gel base might not be sufficient to stabilize such a complex mixture long-term. Recommendation: Be aware that DIY formulation has limitations. If you are aiming for a professionally formulated result, consider consulting a cosmetic chemist or looking for commercial products with similar, professionally balanced ingredient lists.
- Addressing the Root Cause: While your formula is excellent for managing symptoms (soothing, reducing inflammation), it doesn't directly address the underlying causes of your sensitivity (animal dander, yeast). Recommendation: Continue to work with your doctor to manage these specific triggers through environmental control and potentially medical treatments if advised. Skincare supports skin health but isn't a substitute for treating the cause of the sensitivity.
- Patch Testing is Crucial: Given your sensitive skin and the complexity of the formula, rigorous patch testing of the final mixture on a small area (like behind the ear or on the forearm) for several days is absolutely essential before applying it to your face.
Conclusion:
Your formula contains many well-chosen ingredients for sensitive skin, hydration, and barrier repair. However, the inclusion of Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate poses a significant risk due to your yeast sensitivity history. The high overall concentration of actives and the complexity of the mixture also increase the potential for irritation and formulation challenges.
By carefully considering the points above, particularly regarding the Galactomyces and the overall complexity, you can refine your formula to be potentially more suitable and safer for your skin.
We hope this analysis is helpful!
Sincerely,
The Team