Facial Gel Formulation: Compatibility and Shelf Life

Subject: Re: Facial Gel Formulation Advice

Thank you for sharing your facial gel formula and the correction.

Regarding your formula:

• Repair Activator 10%
• Encapsulated Retinol 2%
• Aloe Vera Gel (Lite) 87%
• Mild Preserved Eco 1%

The staff has provided important feedback:

• There is a potential compatibility issue between Encapsulated Retinol and Aloe Vera Gel (Lite) due to their opposing charges, which might cause the gel to break.
• They recommend replacing Aloe Vera Gel (Lite) with Aloe Vera Gel (Heavy) to avoid this issue.

To answer your question "Does this formula need anything else?":
The current formula includes active ingredients (Repair Activator, Encapsulated Retinol), a base gel, and a preservative. This forms a complete basic structure for a facial gel. While you could add other ingredients depending on specific desired benefits (e.g., humectants, antioxidants, soothing agents), the formula is functional as is, provided the compatibility issue with the base gel is resolved as suggested by the staff. So, strictly speaking, you don't need to add anything else for a basic gel, but fixing the base is necessary.

Regarding the shelf life provided by Mild Preserved Eco:
As the staff mentioned, Mild Preserved Eco at 1% concentration, when mixed hygienically, should provide a shelf life of at least 2 years in terms of preventing microbial spoilage.