SK-II Cellumination Essence Inspired Formulation Guide

To create an essence with a texture that is milky white, pearly, slippery, fast-absorbing, lightweight, and non-sticky, we can group the ingredients by their function and combine them in phases.

Ingredients and Available Substitutes

Here are the ingredients from the original list and their corresponding available products or suggested substitutes:

• Active Ingredients:

  • Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate: Available as Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate (aka Pitera) (Product ID 357).
  • Niacinamide: Available as Safe-B3™ (Vitamin B3, Niacinamide) (Product ID 74).
  • Panthenol: Available as Panthenol (Vitamin B5, DL-Panthenol, Powder) (Product ID 111).
  • Ascorbyl Glucoside: Available as Ascorbyl Glucoside (AA-2G Stabilized Vitamin C) (Product ID 265). Note that this requires pH adjustment for stability (pH 6.5-6.8).
  • Centella Asiatica Extract: Available as Centella Asiatica Extract (Madecassoside 90%) (Product ID 762).
  • Tocopherol: Available as Vitamin E (dl-alpha tocopherol) (Product ID 135) or Vitamin E (Tocopheryl Acetate) (Product ID 65).

• Texture Enhancers & Feel Modifiers:

  • Nylon-12, Boron Nitride, Silica: These contribute to the smooth, silky, and soft-focus feel. A good substitute blend is BB Micro Silk™ (Product ID 264), which provides wrinkle-blurring and a silky texture. You can also add standalone Polymethylsilsesquioxane 4.5microns (Soft-Focus / Matte) (Product ID 1020) for enhanced soft-focus and slip.
  • Dimethicone, Dimethiconol: These silicones provide slip, smoothness, and a lightweight feel. You can use Dimethicone (Light/50, Low-Odor) (Product ID 508) and Dimethiconol (Cyclopentasiloxane Base) (Product ID 1368).
  • Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer: This is a thickener/stabilizer that helps create the gel-like texture. Available as Carbomer U20 (EasyDisperse, Electrolyte Tolerance) (Product ID 33579).

• Emulsifiers & Stabilizers:

  • Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate: Available as Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate (Product ID 6371). This acts as an emulsifier.
  • Polyglyceryl-2 Oleate: Available as Polyglyceryl-2 Oleate (Product ID 7435). This also acts as an emulsifier.
  • Glyceryl Stearate Citrate: Available as Glyceryl Stearate Citrate (Product ID 6855). This is a natural-derived O/W emulsifier.
  • Lecithin: Available as Soy Lecithin (Soy Bean Oil, Liquid Lecithin) (Product ID 6980). This can act as an emulsifier or co-emulsifier.
  • PEG-20 Sorbitan Cocoate, Polysorbate: These are non-ionic surfactants/solubilizers. Polysorbate 20 (Tween 20) (Product ID 175) is a suitable substitute and is commonly used in light emulsions and for solubilizing oils in water.

• Solvents & Humectants:

  • Aqua (Water): Use purified water.
  • Butylene Glycol: Available as Butylene Glycol (Product ID 320).
  • Pentylene Glycol: Available as Pentylene Glycol (Low-Odor) (Product ID 2132).
  • Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride: Available as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (Product ID 32763). This is a lightweight emollient oil.
  • Ethylhexyl Palmitate: Available as LipidSoft™ Palm (Ethylhexyl palmitate) (Product ID 529). This is another emollient oil.
  • Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Oil: Not available. You can increase the amount of Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (Product ID 32763) or LipidSoft™ Palm (Product ID 529), or use another light, non-comedogenic oil like LipidSoft™ Lite (Isononyl Nonanoate) (Product ID 530) as a substitute.

General Mixing Method

To achieve the desired texture, you will likely need to create an oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion. The pearly appearance might come from the specific emulsifier system and the inclusion of powders like BB Micro Silk. Achieving the exact "milky white, pearly" look might require specific grades or combinations of emulsifiers and powders, potentially including pearlizing agents if available and desired.

1. Water Phase: Combine water, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Panthenol, and Carbomer U20. Hydrate the Carbomer U20 and neutralize it with an alkali (like Triethanolamine) to form a gel.
2. Oil Phase: Combine Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ethylhexyl Palmitate (and the substitute oil if used), Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Polyglyceryl-2 Oleate, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Lecithin, Tocopherol, and Polysorbate 20. Heat gently if necessary to ensure all oil-soluble ingredients are dissolved.
3. Emulsification: Slowly add the oil phase to the water phase while mixing with high shear (e.g., a homogenizer or high-speed mixer) to create the emulsion. Continue mixing until the emulsion is stable and uniform.
4. Cool Down Phase: Once the emulsion has cooled down (below 40°C), add the heat-sensitive ingredients: Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate, Ascorbyl Glucoside (ensure pH is adjusted correctly), and Centella Asiatica Extract.
5. Powder Addition: Disperse the BB Micro Silk™ and Polymethylsilsesquioxane into a small amount of the finished emulsion or a suitable carrier oil/silicone before adding to the main batch. Mix well until evenly dispersed.
6. Final Adjustments: Check the pH and adjust if necessary (especially important for Ascorbyl Glucoside). Adjust viscosity if needed with additional thickener or water phase.

The "slippery, fast-absorbing, lightweight, non-sticky" feel will heavily rely on the types and percentages of silicones and light emollients used. Experimentation with ingredient percentages and mixing techniques will be necessary to fine-tune the texture and performance to your preference.