Formulation Questions for Mosquito Repellent Stick, BHA Toner, and Serum

Subject: Formulas for BHA Toner and Mosquito Repellent Stick

Hello,

Thank you for providing your revised formulas and questions. Let's address each one:

BHA Toner (Leave-on):
Your formula:

• Encapsulated Salicylic Acid liquid 6%
• NaturePreserve 1.25%
• Water 92.75%

This formula is suitable for a leave-on toner. NaturePreserve at 1.25% is appropriate for preserving this water-based formula.

Mosquito Repellent Stick:
Your formula:

• EucaKill 25%
• Dipropylene glycol 30%
• Natural white beewax 20%
• Microcrystalline Wax 25%

Total = 100%

As previously mentioned, there are two main points to consider with this formula:

1. Heat Sensitivity of EucaKill: EucaKill cannot withstand high heat for extended periods. When melting the waxes, you need to use a technique that minimizes EucaKill's exposure to heat. You can add EucaKill after the waxes and Dipropylene glycol have been heated and slightly cooled, mixing quickly before pouring into the stick mold. You should test the finished product's effectiveness to ensure the EucaKill is still active.
2. Potential Separation: There is a possibility that the Dipropylene glycol and waxes may separate over time. If this occurs, you can add 1-2% of Oil Blender to help stabilize the mixture.

The ratio of waxes (20% Beeswax, 25% Microcrystalline Wax) should allow the formula to solidify into a stick form.

Serum:
Your formula:

• Safe-B3 4%
• GlucoBright 4%
• Japanese Cedar 1%
• Panthenol extralite 3%
• Starfish Extract 1.5%
• NaturePreserve 1.25%
• Water 67.25%
• Repair Activator 15%
• Xanthan Gum 1%
• Laurocapram 2%

Total = 100%

• Texture: With 1% Xanthan Gum, the serum will likely be thicker than a very liquid serum suitable for a dropper bottle. As suggested by the staff, using 0.5% Xanthan Gum initially might be better if you want a slightly viscous, but still pourable, serum. You can adjust the percentage as needed.
• Starfish Extract: As confirmed by the staff, Starfish Extract is considered safe for use during pregnancy. It is not related to seafood allergies, but as with any cosmetic ingredient, there is always a general possibility of individual allergic reactions.
• Repair Activator & Penetration Enhancers: While Repair Activator is most effective at 10-15%, using 15% as in your formula is within the effective range. Adding penetration enhancers like Laurocapram (2%) can help improve the delivery of active ingredients into the skin, potentially boosting the overall performance of the serum, but it doesn't directly compensate for using a lower percentage of Repair Activator if you were to reduce it. Your current formula uses 15% Repair Activator and 2% Laurocapram, which is a good combination for efficacy and penetration. PE-1 Aqua (mentioned in a previous version) also serves as a penetration enhancer.
• Mixing Steps: For this water-based serum, you can generally add the water-soluble ingredients (Safe-B3, GlucoBright, Japanese Cedar, Panthenol, Starfish Extract, NaturePreserve, Repair Activator) to the water phase one by one, stirring until each is fully dissolved before adding the next. For Xanthan Gum, it's best to disperse it in a small amount of glycerin or glycol first, or add it directly to the water phase with high shear mixing to prevent clumping. Add Laurocapram last, stirring to incorporate.

We hope this clarifies your questions!