Comprehensive Anti-Aging and Hydrating Serum Formula

Based on your interest in the DMAE Skin Tightening Gel formula and your specific needs for addressing wrinkles, lifting, hydration, and skin barrier strength, while incorporating ingredients like DMAE, Niacinamide, Pep®-Coll, Ceramide Complex, and Hyaluronic Acid, and considering your sensitive skin and previous experiences, here is a proposed serum formula and mixing instructions.

This formula is designed to be a comprehensive treatment targeting multiple signs of aging and improving overall skin health. It aims for a light, non-oily texture suitable for your preference.

Proposed Formula (Approx. 50g)

• Water (Distilled or Deionized): 58.6%
• Disodium EDTA: 0.1%
• Ceramide Complex (Cera-Flux V™): 5%
• Pep®-Coll (Syn-Coll): 3%
• Safe-B3™ (Niacinamide): 5%
• Panthenol (Vitamin B5): 2%
• GlucoBright™ (N-Acetyl Glucosamine): 2%
• Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate (Vitamin C SAP): 3%
• Hyaluronic Acid (Standard Molecule): 0.05%
• Hyaluronic Acid (Nano Molecule, 800daltons): 0.05%
• Pro Polymer™ (Gel Maker): 0.2%
• DMAE (SkinTight MD™) Liquid: 20%
• Phenoxyethanol (Extra Pure): 1%

Total: 100%

Ingredient Benefits:

• DMAE (SkinTight MD™): Helps with skin firmness, lifting, and reducing the appearance of wrinkles.
• Safe-B3™ (Niacinamide): Strengthens the skin barrier, reduces redness and hyperpigmentation, helps control oiliness, and supports collagen and ceramide production.
• Pep®-Coll (Syn-Coll): A peptide that stimulates collagen synthesis to reduce wrinkles.
• Ceramide Complex (Cera-Flux V™): Replenishes skin's natural ceramides, essential for a healthy barrier, improving hydration and reducing sensitivity. Using 5% provides significant barrier support.
• Panthenol (Vitamin B5): Provides hydration, soothes skin, reduces inflammation, and supports wound healing.
• GlucoBright™ (N-Acetyl Glucosamine): Works synergistically with Niacinamide for hydration, barrier support, and can help with skin tone and mild exfoliation.
• Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate (Vitamin C SAP): A stable form of Vitamin C with antioxidant properties, supports collagen, and can help with brightening and potentially mild anti-acne effects.
• Hyaluronic Acid (Standard & Nano): Provides hydration at different skin depths. Using a low total concentration (0.1%) minimizes the risk of dryness, especially in low humidity, while still offering hydration benefits.
• Pro Polymer™: Helps create a stable texture and can aid in the penetration of water-soluble actives into the skin.
• Disodium EDTA: A chelating agent that helps improve the stability of the formula, especially with ingredients like Vitamin C SAP.
• Phenoxyethanol: A broad-spectrum preservative to prevent microbial growth.

Mixing Instructions:

1. Sanitize: Thoroughly clean and sterilize your glass jar, lid, and all mixing tools (spoons, stirring rod, measuring containers) by boiling them in water and letting them air dry completely on a clean surface. Wearing gloves is recommended.
2. Water Phase: In your mixing container, combine the Water and Disodium EDTA. Stir until the Disodium EDTA is fully dissolved.
3. Add Powders: Add Safe-B3™, GlucoBright™, and Panthenol powders to the water phase. Mix gently until they are completely dissolved.
4. Add Hyaluronic Acid: Slowly sprinkle the Hyaluronic Acid (Standard Molecule and Nano Molecule) powders onto the surface of the liquid while blending gently with your mixer. Continue blending until the powders are fully hydrated and dispersed, and the liquid starts to thicken slightly. Avoid high-speed blending which can damage the polymers and create excessive foam.
5. Add Pro Polymer™: Slowly sprinkle the Pro Polymer™ powder into the mixture while continuing to blend gently. Blend until the Pro Polymer™ is dispersed and the desired liquid consistency is achieved. Avoid over-blending.
6. Add Remaining Actives & Preservative: Ensure the temperature of the mixture is below 40°C. Add Pep®-Coll, DMAE (SkinTight MD™) Liquid, Ceramide Complex (Cera-Flux V™), and Phenoxyethanol (Extra Pure). Mix gently until all ingredients are uniformly combined.
7. Check and Adjust pH: Measure the pH of your finished serum using pH strips or a pH meter. The optimal pH range for DMAE and Safe-B3™ efficacy is 5-6. While Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate (Vitamin C SAP) is most stable at pH 7-9, a pH of 5-6 is a good compromise for the overall formula's effectiveness. If the pH is outside the 5-6 range, prepare a very dilute solution of Citric Acid (to lower pH) or Triethanolamine (to raise pH) in water. Add the dilute solution drop by drop, mixing thoroughly after each drop, and re-measure the pH until it is within the 5-6 range.
8. Final Transfer: Carefully pour the finished serum into your sterilized glass jar. If there is foam, you can let the serum sit for 1-2 days for the foam to dissipate before sealing the lid tightly.

Addressing Your Concerns:

• DMAE Efficacy: As the staff confirmed, DMAE helps with both wrinkle reduction and skin tightening/lifting.
• Ceramide Complex for Hydration: Adding Ceramide Complex at 5% will significantly boost hydration and strengthen your skin barrier without adding oiliness, which is suitable for your skin type and concerns about acne.
• Hyaluronic Acid Dryness: Your understanding is correct; high concentrations of Hyaluronic Acid can potentially cause dryness in low humidity environments. Using a low total concentration (0.1%) in this formula is a safer approach for your skin.
• Pro Polymer™: While not a penetration enhancer itself, Pro Polymer™ helps create a stable, uniform texture that can improve how the actives are delivered to the skin compared to a purely watery solution. Using 0.2% is sufficient for a liquid texture as you prefer.
• Container and Sterilization: Using a clean, sterilized glass jar with an aluminum lid is suitable. Boiling is an effective sterilization method for home use. Minimizing transfers helps maintain cleanliness.
• Acne Breakout: Given your sensitive skin and history, the breakout could be due to various factors, including individual sensitivity to an ingredient (even at low concentrations), temporary irritation from pH fluctuation during your previous mixing attempt, or even the mechanical action of blending. The proposed formula uses ingredients generally well-tolerated, but patch testing is always recommended for sensitive skin. Ensuring the final pH is within the 5-6 range is important.

This formula provides a multi-targeted approach to address your skin concerns. Remember to perform a patch test before applying the finished product to your entire face.