Daily Facial Exfoliating Serum Formula Review for pH and Ingredient Compatibility

Question

I want to make a facial serum for exfoliating, reducing dark/red marks, for daily application from this formula.

Could you please check the ingredients, compatibility, and final pH / percentages that are suitable for daily use?

Ingredient	%
water	81.1
2na edta	0.1
vitamin b3	3
Natural Betaine	1
Sodium PCA	0.5
butylene	3
cica90%	0.1
glycerin	1
xanthan gum	0.4
Dragon blood	3
fruitpeel	3
WaterLube Slip	1
hydro gel	1
Hydrolyzed Silk Protein	1
Microcare phc	0.8

Answer 1

The formula can be developed as a daily water-based facial serum, but I recommend tightening the pH and adjusting a few percentages before production.

Formula Review

Ingredient	Current %	Recommendation
Water	81.1	Adjust q.s. to 100% after any changes.
Disodium EDTA	0.1	Usable; add to water first. Catalog range is 0.1-0.2%.
Vitamin B3 / Niacinamide	3	Suitable for daily dark/red mark care. Keep final pH around 5.2-5.8.
Natural Betaine	1	Low versus catalog range. Increase to 2-3% to support moisturization and reduce irritation risk.
Sodium PCA 50%	0.5	Usable. Optional: increase to 1% if more hydration is needed, but check tackiness.
Butylene Glycol	3	Suitable as humectant/solvent. Useful if handling CICA/Pure-TECA.
CICA 90% / Pure-TECA type	0.1	Suitable starting level, but it does not dissolve in water or oil. Pre-dissolve in Butylene Glycol under the material condition if clarity is required, or accept dispersion/cloudiness.
Glycerin	1	Suitable; monitor tackiness with the other humectants/gels.
Xanthan Gum	0.4	Likely high for a daily serum with Hydro Gel + WaterLube Slip. Trial 0.2-0.3% for a lighter texture.
Dragon Blood	3	In the usual 3-5% range; expect red-brown color and test color/odor stability.
FruitPeel™	3	Good level; catalog recommended level is 3%, pH range 3.5-7.0. Avoid heat above 40°C.
WaterLube™ Slip	1	Suitable; helps slip in water-gel systems.
Hydro Gel / Biosaccharide Gum-1	1	Suitable for moisture/film feel; may add slip and skin film.
Hydrolyzed Silk Protein	1	At the maximum range. For a daily face serum, reduce to 0.3-0.5% to reduce film/tackiness and preservative burden.
Microcare PHC	0.8	In the 0.6-1.0% range and pH 4-7; still do a preservative challenge test before sale.

Recommended pH

Set the final pH at 5.2-5.8, ideally around 5.5. This is the best overlap for daily use with Niacinamide, FruitPeel™, Microcare PHC, CICA/Pure-TECA, Dragon Blood and Hydrolyzed Silk. Avoid targeting pH 3.5-4.0 for this daily-use formula, as it may increase irritation risk and is less ideal for the Niacinamide-based concept.

Suggested Daily-Use Adjustment

If a lighter daily serum is desired, trial this adjustment:

Increase Natural Betaine from 1% to 2-3%.
Reduce Hydrolyzed Silk Protein from 1% to 0.3-0.5%.
Reduce Xanthan Gum from 0.4% to 0.2-0.3%.
Keep FruitPeel™ at 3%.
Keep Vitamin B3 at 3%; 5% is possible later, but 3% is a comfortable daily-use starting point.
Adjust water down/up to bring the total back to 100%.

Process

Add water and dissolve Disodium EDTA completely first.
Add Niacinamide, Natural Betaine, Sodium PCA and other water-soluble humectants.
Premix xanthan gum with glycerin or Butylene Glycol, then add slowly and mix until fully hydrated.
Add Hydro Gel and WaterLube™ Slip after the gel base is uniform.
Handle CICA/Pure-TECA separately: if not pre-dissolved in Butylene Glycol under the proper condition, it will be a dispersion and may cause particles/cloudiness.
Add Dragon Blood, FruitPeel™ and Hydrolyzed Silk in cool-down, preferably below 40°C for FruitPeel™.
Add Microcare PHC at the final stage below 50-60°C.
Measure and adjust final pH only after all ingredients are added. Let the batch rest 24 hours, then recheck pH, viscosity and appearance.

Because this formula contains several extracts and a natural protein, stability testing and preservative challenge testing are strongly recommended before commercial production. Also advise daily users to use sunscreen in the morning and stop use if stinging, peeling or persistent redness occurs.