Cream Formulation Advice

Based on the ingredients and percentages you provided, you have a good foundation for a thick, rich cream that aims to address whitening, dark spots, and redness while being easily absorbed.

Ingredient Analysis:

• Thickeners/Emulsifiers: You are using Butter Cream Maker™ (4%), Glyceryl Stearate SE (5%), and Cetyl Alcohol (Vegetable) (5%). These are all effective thickeners and emulsifiers. At these percentages (total 14% of these three), your cream should indeed be quite thick and rich as you desired.
• Emollient: LipidSoft™ Lite (5%) is a light emollient that helps improve the spreadability and absorption of the cream, balancing the richness from the thickeners.
• Actives: Perfect-C™ (Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate) (5%), Tranexamic Acid (3%), Allantoin (0.2%), and Bisabolol (1%) are excellent choices for whitening, reducing dark spots, redness, and soothing the skin.
• Other Ingredients: Disodium EDTA (chelating agent), Butylene Glycol (humectant/solvent), and Phenoxyethanol SA (preservative) are standard additions for stability and preservation.

Your current formulation seems well-balanced to achieve a thick yet absorbable texture with effective active ingredients for your skin concerns. You likely do not need to add more thickeners or significantly increase the current ones, as the provided percentages are already substantial for creating a thick cream.

Method for Making the Cream:

Here is a general method for creating this type of hot-process emulsion:

1. Weighing: Accurately weigh all ingredients according to your desired batch size.
2. Phase Separation: Separate ingredients into two phases:
   • Water Phase: Water, Disodium EDTA, Butylene Glycol, Allantoin, Tranexamic Acid.
   • Oil Phase: LipidSoft™ Lite, Butter Cream Maker™, Glyceryl Stearate SE, Cetyl Alcohol (Vegetable), Perfect-C™.
3. Heating: Heat both the water phase and the oil phase in separate containers to approximately 70-75°C (158-167°F). Heat until all solid ingredients in both phases are completely melted and the phases are clear.
4. Combining Phases: Slowly pour the oil phase into the water phase while stirring continuously. Alternatively, you can pour the water phase into the oil phase, but adding oil to water is often easier for beginners.
5. Emulsifying: Continue stirring or use a homogenizer/stick blender for a few minutes to ensure a stable emulsion forms as the mixture cools. Stirring should be consistent but avoid incorporating too much air.
6. Cooling: Continue stirring periodically as the cream cools down. This helps maintain the emulsion and texture.
7. Adding Heat-Sensitive Ingredients: Once the mixture has cooled to below 40°C (104°F), add the Phenoxyethanol SA and Bisabolol. Stir well to ensure they are evenly distributed.
8. Final Check: Check the texture and appearance. Adjust pH if necessary (though typically not needed for this formulation unless specific pH requirements for actives are critical and not met).
9. Packaging: Once fully cooled, transfer the cream into clean containers.

Always ensure your equipment and workspace are clean and sanitized before starting.