DIY Liposomal Vitamin C: Feasibility, Verification, and Cosmetic Application

Here are the answers to your questions regarding making liposomal vitamin C at home:

1. Is it really possible? If so, can we make any substance into liposomes using this method?
   Yes, using lecithin and sonication (like with an ultrasonic cleaner) is a known method that can create liposomes and encapsulate substances like vitamin C. This method works by using ultrasonic waves to help the lipid molecules (like lecithin) self-assemble into vesicles (liposomes) that can trap the substance (vitamin C) within them. However, while this method is possible for creating liposomes, it is generally not preferred for large-scale commercial production due to potential inconsistencies in the size of the liposomes and the efficiency of encapsulation. The effectiveness for other substances depends on whether the substance is compatible with being encapsulated within a lipid bilayer liposome.

2. How do we know if the vitamin C we made has become liposomal vitamin C?
   Determining whether liposomes have formed and if the vitamin C is successfully encapsulated requires specialized laboratory equipment. Techniques like Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) are used to measure the size distribution of particles (to see if liposomes of the expected size have formed), and other analytical methods are needed to quantify the amount of vitamin C that is actually trapped inside the liposomes versus what remains free in the solution. You cannot visually confirm liposome formation or encapsulation efficiency at home.

3. So, if we can make liposomal substances, can we add emulsifiers/gelling agents to make skincare with liposomal properties?
   While you can mix the resulting liposomal solution with emulsifiers or gelling agents to create a cream or gel texture, the key challenge for cosmetic applications of vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid) is its stability, especially in water-based formulas. The water-based liposomal solution made by the DIY method will likely have similar stability issues to regular vitamin C in water. The vitamin C will still be prone to degradation over time when exposed to water, oxygen, and light, even if some is encapsulated. Therefore, while you might technically have some liposomes in your cream/gel, the vitamin C itself may not remain active for long, and the potential benefits might not be effectively delivered due to stability issues. Commercial liposomal vitamin C for cosmetics often uses different forms of vitamin C or different encapsulation technologies designed for better stability in formulations.

In summary, the DIY method can technically create liposomes, but verifying the result is difficult, and incorporating it into a stable cosmetic product that effectively delivers active vitamin C is challenging due to stability issues.