Formulation and Mixing Steps for Very Dry Skin Cream with Vitamin C, Aloe Vera, and Second Skin

Question

I have very dry skin and found that using only Aloe Vera Extract was not sufficient. I was interested in adding Aloe Vera (Actives Extract 10:1) 3.00% to my original formula.

However, the staff recommended a modified formula specifically for very dry skin and provided the following ingredients and mixing steps:

Recommended Formula for Very Dry Skin:

Perfect-C™ (Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate) 5%
Second Skin 5%
Vitamin B5 2%
Aloe Vera Extract 2%
Reservoir-Tech 3%
AnyGel™ 1%
Mild Preserved Eco 1%
Water to 100%

Mixing Steps:

Heat the water to 70°C and add AnyGel™ (Ingredient #6). Stir or blend until a gel forms.
While the gel is still at 70°C, add Second Skin (Ingredient #2). Stir or blend until it dissolves and incorporates, creating a cream texture.
Allow the mixture to cool down to below 50°C. Add the remaining ingredients: Perfect-C™ (#1), Vitamin B5 (#3), Aloe Vera Extract (#4), Reservoir-Tech (#5), and Mild Preserved Eco (#7). Stir or blend until all ingredients are dissolved and well combined.

Could you please confirm these steps and explain the benefits of this recommended formula for very dry skin compared to just adding Aloe Vera to my original formula?

MySkinRecipes Expert · Accepted Answer

Hello,

Thank you for your question about the mixing steps for the Vitamin C cream and adding Aloe Vera.

Regarding the original formula you provided:

Perfect-C™ (Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate) 5%
Reservoir-Tech 3%
AnyGel™ 1%
Mild Preserved Eco 1%
Water 73%
The percentages in this formula add up to 83%, which suggests it might be incomplete or there might be a typo in the percentages.

The staff's response provided a modified formula which adds up to 100% and includes ingredients beneficial for very dry skin, along with mixing instructions for that specific formula. This modified formula is:

Perfect-C™ 5%
Second Skin 5%
Vitamin B5 2%
Aloe Vera Extract 2%
Reservoir-Tech 3%
AnyGel™ 1%
Mild Preserved Eco 1%
Water (to 100%) - which would be 100 - (5+5+2+2+3+1+1) = 81%

The mixing steps provided by the staff for this modified formula are:

Heat the water to 70°C and add AnyGel™ (Ingredient #6). Stir or blend until a gel forms.
While the gel is still at 70°C, add Second Skin (Ingredient #2). Stir or blend until it dissolves and incorporates. This will create the cream texture.
Allow the mixture to cool down to below 50°C. Add the remaining ingredients: Perfect-C™ (#1), Vitamin B5 (#3), Aloe Vera Extract (#4), Reservoir-Tech (#5), and Mild Preserved Eco (#7). Stir or blend until all ingredients are dissolved and well combined.

Regarding your question about adding Aloe Vera (Actives Extract 10:1) 3.00% to the original formula:
Yes, you can add Aloe Vera extract to a formula. If you were to add 3% to a formula that totals 100%, you would typically reduce the water percentage by 3%. However, as noted, your original formula percentages are unclear.

The staff's suggested modified formula already includes Aloe Vera Extract (at 2%) along with Second Skin and Vitamin B5, which are specifically recommended for addressing very dry skin concerns. Adding these ingredients as suggested by the staff might be more effective for your dry skin than just adding Aloe Vera to the original formula.

Therefore, we recommend following the staff's suggested modified formula and the mixing steps provided for it, as this formula is balanced and designed to help with dry skin.