Formulation Issue: Precipitation and Cloudiness with CM Glucan

Question

I am experiencing an issue with my formulation where it becomes cloudy and develops fibrous strands (precipitation). The product is likely a serum or liquid formulation. The ingredients used are:

Licorice Extract (Licochalcone A)
Safe-B3 (Vitamin B3, Niacinamide)
Pure MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane)
CM Glucan (Carboxymethyl Beta Glucan)
Zinc PCA
Ethyl Alcohol
1,2-Hexanediol (Pentylene Glycol)
Activated Resorcinol
REGU(R)-AGE
Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate

I suspect CM Glucan might be the problem ingredient. What is causing this issue, and how can I fix my formula?

MySkinRecipes Expert · Accepted Answer

Formulation Issue: Precipitation and Cloudiness

Hello!

Thank you for providing your formulation details and describing the issue you encountered. The cloudiness and precipitation with fibrous strands you observed are indeed signs of incompatibility between the ingredients in your mixture.

Based on the ingredients used and the behavior of the mixture, the primary cause of the precipitation is the incompatibility of CM Glucan with other components in your formula, specifically Licorice Extract (Licochalcone A) and Activated Resorcinol.

The product description for CM Glucan indicates that it is not compatible with these ingredients, which can lead to instability and precipitation when mixed together. Additionally, Activated Resorcinol is an oil-soluble ingredient. If it was not properly dissolved in an oil phase before being combined with the water-soluble ingredients, this could also contribute to the cloudiness and separation.

Unfortunately, once a formulation has precipitated and separated in this manner, the ingredients are no longer properly dispersed or dissolved. Using the formula in this state is not recommended as it may not be effective and could potentially cause skin irritation due to uneven distribution of the active ingredients.

To resolve this issue, you would need to adjust your formula. One approach, as suggested in the forum replies, is to remove CM Glucan from this specific mixture or use it separately in a different formulation, perhaps as a standalone gel.