Feedback on Your Formula and a Simpler Alternative

Thank you for sharing your formula! It's great that you're exploring making your own skincare. Let's look at your proposed formula and then discuss a simpler option for your skin concerns.

Your Proposed Formula Analysis

Your formula includes several excellent active ingredients like L-Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Ferulic Acid, and Vitamin E, which are known for their antioxidant and brightening properties. Hyaluronic Acid is also a great addition for hydration.

However, combining these ingredients in a stable and effective way can be quite challenging, especially for a home formulation:

• Solubility: L-Ascorbic Acid is water-soluble but requires a low pH (around 3.5) for stability. Ferulic Acid is not water-soluble and needs a solvent like Ethoxydiglycol or ethanol. Vitamin E is oil-soluble. Laureth-23 is an emulsifier, suggesting an emulsion, but you would need a sufficient oil phase to create one, which seems minimal in your list (only Vitamin E).
• Stability: L-Ascorbic Acid is highly unstable in water, particularly at higher pH levels. While Ferulic Acid and Vitamin E help, achieving long-term stability without precise pH control and proper formulation techniques is difficult.
• Missing Components: Your list doesn't include a water phase (unless Propylene Glycol is intended as the primary liquid, which isn't typical for these actives), a pH adjuster (crucial for L-Ascorbic Acid stability), or a preservative. A preservative is essential in any water-based formula to prevent bacterial growth, especially with ingredients like Hyaluronic Acid.

Given these factors, your current formula might be difficult to mix correctly and may not remain stable or effective for long.

Simple Formula for Brightening, Even Tone, Freckles, and Pores

Based on your skin type (combination) and goals (brightening, even tone, reducing freckles, tightening pores) and considering your budget, a simpler serum focusing on key active ingredients would be more feasible for home formulation. Niacinamide (Vitamin B3) and Hyaluronic Acid are excellent choices that address multiple concerns and are easier to work with than L-Ascorbic Acid.

Here is a suggestion for a simple serum (for a 100g batch):

• Water: 93.7 g (Distilled or Deionized Water)
• Safe-B3™ (Niacinamide): 5 g (Addresses pores, uneven tone, and helps with brightening)
• Hyaluronic Acid (Standard Molecule): 0.3 g (Provides hydration)
• Phenoxyethanol (Extra Pure): 1 g (Preservative)

Mixing Instructions:

1. Weigh the water in a clean container.
2. Slowly add the Hyaluronic Acid powder to the water while stirring or blending until fully dissolved and a gel forms. This may take some time or require refrigeration.
3. Once the Hyaluronic Acid is dissolved, add the Safe-B3™ powder and stir until completely dissolved.
4. Add the Phenoxyethanol and stir to combine.
5. Transfer to a clean bottle.

This formula is water-based, addresses your key concerns, and uses ingredients that are relatively easy to dissolve and combine. Niacinamide can help with brightening, evening skin tone, and minimizing the appearance of pores. Hyaluronic Acid provides essential hydration without feeling heavy on combination skin.

For targeting freckles specifically, you could explore adding Alpha Arbutin or Tranexamic Acid to a similar base, but this would require careful pH adjustment, adding a step to the process.

Remember to always perform a patch test before applying any new formulation to your face.