Formulating Gel/Serum with Aloe Vera Gel Lite or Double Hyaluron Liquid Base

Question

I ordered Aloe Vera Gel (Lite) base and would like to know if the following ingredients can be mixed well into it: DMAE (SkinTight MD), Vitamin B5, Pal-GHK, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, and Orange Oil. Will the resulting texture be a clear gel? Also, the Aloe Vera Gel (Lite) base already contains a preservative; is it sufficient, or do I need to add more? Alternatively, if I use Double Hyaluron Liquid as the base instead of Aloe Vera Gel (Lite), can I add the following ingredients, and will it be suitable: DMAE (SkinTight MD), Vitamin B5, Pal-GHK, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Orange Oil, Mild Preserved Eco, น้ำกลั่น (Distilled Water), Dimethyl Isosorbide, Xanthan Gum (ชนิดเจลใส - clear gel type), Disodium EDTA, and Sodium Metabisulfite? If not suitable, please suggest a revised formula.

MySkinRecipes Expert · Accepted Answer

Formulation Advice for Gel Bases

Here is information regarding your formulation questions using Aloe Vera Gel (Lite) and Double Hyaluron Liquid bases:

1. Mixing into Aloe Vera Gel (Lite) Base

Compatible Ingredients: DMAE, Matrixyl 3000, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, and Vitamin B5 (Panthenol) are water-soluble and should mix well into the Aloe Vera Gel (Lite) base. The base already contains Vitamin B5.
Incompatible Ingredients: Orange Oil (if oil-soluble) will likely not mix well without a solubilizer, resulting in a cloudy or separated product. The Aloe Vera Gel (Lite) base is also explicitly incompatible with Xanthan Gum and other gel-making ingredients.
Resulting Texture: If you add only the compatible water-soluble ingredients, the gel texture should be maintained. However, adding oil without a solubilizer will make the gel cloudy or cause separation, not a clear gel.

2. Preservative in Aloe Vera Gel (Lite) Base

The Aloe Vera Gel (Lite) base contains Phenoxyethanol at 0.40% as a preservative.
Adding multiple ingredients can introduce contamination and dilute the preservative's effectiveness.
It is recommended to add an additional broad-spectrum preservative, such as Mild Preserved Eco (typically 1.0-1.5%), or a preservative booster to ensure the final formulation is adequately protected against microbial growth. Always perform challenge testing on your finished product.

3. Using Double Hyaluron Liquid as Base

Double Hyaluron Liquid is a suitable water-based base for serums and gels.
Most of the ingredients you listed (DMAE, Vitamin B5/Pantolactone, Matrixyl 3000, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Mild Preserved Eco, Distilled Water, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Metabisulfite) are compatible with this base.
Orange Oil: Still requires a suitable solubilizer to mix into this water-based base and maintain clarity.
Xanthan Gum: Adding Xanthan Gum will increase the viscosity of the Double Hyaluron Liquid, creating a thicker gel. The clear gel type should maintain clarity.
Dimethyl Isosorbide (DMI): Compatible and can enhance penetration of other actives.
Disodium EDTA & Sodium Metabisulfite: Compatible for stability and antioxidant benefits.
Mild Preserved Eco: Can be added to supplement the existing Phenoxyethanol preservative, but consider total preservative concentration.

Suggested Formulation Approach with Double Hyaluron Liquid Base:

This base is more suitable for your desired ingredients.

Combine Double Hyaluron Liquid base and Distilled Water (if needed).
Add Disodium EDTA and Sodium Metabisulfite.
If using Xanthan Gum, disperse and hydrate it properly before adding.
Add water-soluble actives (DMAE, Pantolactone, Matrixyl 3000, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8) below 40°C.
If using Orange Oil, pre-mix with a solubilizer before adding.
Add Dimethyl Isosorbide.
Add Mild Preserved Eco.
Mix until uniform and adjust pH if necessary.

This approach allows for a stable and effective anti-aging and hydrating gel/serum. Always test your final product for stability and preservation.