Feedback on Your Proposed Vitamin C Serum Formula

Thank you for sharing your formula and asking for guidance before making it. This formula contains several beneficial ingredients, but the proposed mixing method of combining everything at once in water may lead to significant problems with stability and texture.

Here are the potential issues and suggestions for a better approach:

• Ferulic Acid Solubility: Ferulic Acid is not soluble in water. It requires a solvent like ethanol or Ethoxydiglycol to dissolve properly. Simply mixing it in water will mean it won't dissolve and won't be effective.
• L-Ascorbic Acid Stability: L-Ascorbic Acid is highly unstable in water, especially at neutral or higher pH. It oxidizes quickly, losing its potency. For stability, L-Ascorbic Acid requires a low pH, typically between 2.0 and 4.0. Your proposed method doesn't account for pH adjustment or the need to minimize its exposure to water before dissolution.
• Pro Polymer Mixing: Pro Polymer, your gel maker, requires specific hydration and mixing to form a smooth gel. Sprinkling it into the water phase while stirring slowly and allowing adequate hydration time (sometimes up to 24 hours) is usually necessary. High-speed blending should be avoided. Mixing it all at once by hand might result in a lumpy or inconsistent gel texture.
• Vitamin E Incorporation: Vitamin E (dl-alpha tocopherol) is an oil-soluble ingredient. Your formula is primarily water-based with a gel maker. Without a suitable emulsifier, the Vitamin E oil will not fully dissolve or remain evenly dispersed in the water gel, potentially separating.
• pH Level: To stabilize the L-Ascorbic Acid, the final pH of the formula will need to be acidic (2.0-4.0). This low pH is necessary for the Vitamin C's effectiveness but can cause skin irritation, especially at a high concentration like 15%. You will need to measure the pH after mixing.

Suggested Mixing Approach (General Guidance):

A more effective method would involve dissolving ingredients based on their solubility and adding them in a specific order:

1. Dissolve water-soluble ingredients (Disodium EDTA, Panthenol) in the distilled water.
2. In a separate small container, dissolve Ferulic Acid in a minimal amount of ethanol or Ethoxydiglycol. Add this solution to the main water phase and stir.
3. Slowly sprinkle Pro Polymer onto the surface of the water phase while stirring gently. Continue stirring slowly until dispersed. Allow sufficient time for the polymer to hydrate and form a gel according to the product's instructions (this may take several hours or overnight). Stir again to ensure smoothness.
4. Once the gel base is formed, add the L-Ascorbic Acid powder and stir gently until fully dissolved. The pH will become acidic.
5. Note on Vitamin E: Incorporating the oil-soluble Vitamin E into this water-based gel without an emulsifier will be challenging. It may not fully dissolve or stay dispersed. You might need to accept that it won't be perfectly integrated or consider using a different form of Vitamin E or adding an emulsifier.
6. Measure the final pH of the mixture using a pH meter or strips to ensure it is within the 2.0-4.0 range for L-Ascorbic Acid stability. Be aware of the potential for irritation at this low pH.

This formula contains a high concentration of L-Ascorbic Acid at a low pH, which can be very effective but also potentially irritating. Always patch test the final product before applying it widely.