Feedback on Your Serum, BHA Gel, and Cleanser Formulas

Hello! Based on your skin concerns (combination/oily, dehydrated, acne, aging, sensitivity) and your proposed formulas, here is some feedback and answers to your questions.

Your goal is a thick serum for day/night use, a BHA gel for clogged pores, and a gentle cleanser.

Serum Formula Review

Your serum formula includes many excellent ingredients targeting hydration, anti-aging, oil control, and skin barrier support:

• Hydration & Texture: MOIST24, Tara Gel
• Anti-Aging & Repair: Safe-B3, GlucoBright, Pure-Adenosine™, Japanese Cedar, Ectoin, Reservoir-Tech
• Oil Control & Anti-inflammatory: Safe-B3, Vitamin B6
• Stability: Disodium EDTA, NaturePreserve™ Ultra

This combination addresses your concerns about dehydration, aging, pores, and inflammation.

Addressing Your Serum Questions:

1. Using Vitamin B6 for pH adjustment: While Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine Hydrochloride) is acidic and will lower the pH of your formula, it's not ideal to rely on it as the primary pH adjuster. Its concentration is relatively low (2%), and its main function is oil control and anti-inflammation. It's best to use a dedicated pH adjuster like Lactic Acid or Citric Acid to precisely control the final pH.

2. pH for ingredients 7, 8, 11: Yes, you are correct that the pH needs to be controlled for optimal performance and stability of several ingredients:

   • Pure-Adenosine™ (Ingredient 7) is stable in the pH range of 3.5-6.5.
   • Japanese Cedar (Ingredient 8) is stable in the pH range of 3.5-6.5.
   • NaturePreserve™ Ultra (Ingredient 11) is stable in the pH range of 3-6.

   To ensure all these ingredients are effective and stable, the final pH of your serum should ideally be between 3.5 and 6. Your target of "not exceeding 6" is generally good, but aiming for the 3.5-6 range is more precise for these specific ingredients.

3. Serum Formulation Steps: Your proposed steps are mostly correct, but consider the heat sensitivity of some ingredients:
   • Mix water and Disodium EDTA.
   • Add MOIST24, Safe-B3, GlucoBright, Vitamin B6. Mix well.
   • Adjust pH to the desired range (3.5-6) using a pH adjuster like Lactic Acid or Citric Acid.
   • Add Pure-Adenosine™, Japanese Cedar, Ectoin, NaturePreserve™ Ultra. Mix well. Note: Pure-Adenosine™, Japanese Cedar, and Vitamin B6 are heat sensitive. Ensure the mixture is below 40°C when adding these.
   • Add Reservoir-Tech and blend thoroughly until dispersed. Reservoir-Tech is dispersed, not dissolved, and requires sufficient blending time (e.g., 15-30 minutes depending on equipment) to ensure even distribution and prevent settling.
   • Slowly add Tara Gel while mixing until the desired gel consistency is achieved. Tara Gel is compatible with electrolytes and a wide pH range, making it suitable for this formula.

Cleanser Formula Review

Your cleanser formula uses Coco Glucoside, a gentle surfactant.

• Thickening with Tara Gel: Yes, Tara Gel (Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum) is a water gellant and can be used to thicken your Coco Glucoside cleanser formula. It is compatible with electrolytes and can help achieve the desired viscosity for ease of use.
• pH Adjustment: Coco Glucoside has a high pH (~11.5). As you noted, you will need to adjust the pH down to 5-6.5, especially for sensitive skin. Lactic Acid is a suitable ingredient for this purpose, and you have included it in your formula.

BHA Gel Formula Review

Your BHA gel formula uses Encapsulated Salicylic Acid (Powder, Timed-Release) for treating clogged pores.

• Adding Safe B3: Yes, adding 5% Safe B3 (Niacinamide) to your BHA gel formula is a good idea. Safe B3 is known for its oil-reducing and anti-inflammatory properties, which can complement the pore-clearing action of Salicylic Acid and help address your acne concerns. It is also stable within the typical pH range for BHA products.

Proposed Routine

Your proposed routine (Cleanser -> Serum -> BHA gel) is appropriate.

1. Cleansing: Start with your gentle Coco Glucoside cleanser to remove impurities.
2. Serum: Apply your multi-benefit serum to provide hydration, anti-aging, and other targeted treatments. Waiting 15 minutes after applying the serum before the next step allows it to absorb.
3. BHA Gel: Apply the BHA gel to target clogged pores and acne. The timed-release nature of the Encapsulated Salicylic Acid and the addition of Safe B3 should help manage potential irritation while effectively treating acne.

Remember to always patch test new formulations before applying them to your entire face.