Gel Formula for Oily, Acne-Prone Skin with Redness and Dark Spots

Question

I want to formulate a gel for very oily, acne-prone skin with large pores, redness, and dark spots. I'm looking for a formula that includes ingredients for exfoliation (like Salicylic Acid), oil control (like Niacinamide, L-Carnitine, AcneBee), brightening (like Niacinamide, GlucoBright, Activated Resorcinol S), and soothing (like Licorice Extract, Panthenol).

Could you provide a proposed formula and detailed mixing instructions, including pH adjustment and stability considerations?

MySkinRecipes Expert · Accepted Answer

Proposed Gel Formula for Oily, Acne-Prone Skin

Based on your skin concerns (very oily, large pores, acne, redness) and your current experience, the proposed gel formula is feasible and contains active ingredients that can help address these issues.

This formula combines ingredients known for their effects on acne, oil control, brightening, and soothing:

Salicylic Acid EZ™: A BHA that helps exfoliate the skin, unclog pores, and reduce acne.
Safe-B3™ (Vitamin B3, Niacinamide): Helps reduce oiliness, redness, strengthens the skin barrier, and has brightening properties.
GlucoBright™ (Acetyl Glucosamine): Works with Vitamin B3 to brighten skin and reduce dark spots, also helps with gentle exfoliation and hydration.
Activated Resorcinol S™: A potent brightening agent to help with dark spots and uneven skin tone.
Licorice Extract: Known for its anti-inflammatory and oil-controlling properties, helps reduce redness and irritation.
AcneBee™ Extra: Derived from royal jelly, helps control oil production and has antibacterial properties against acne-causing bacteria.
L-Carnitine: Helps reduce oiliness, promotes skin cell turnover, and can assist in healing scars.
Vitamin B5 (Panthenol): Provides moisture, soothes the skin, reduces inflammation, and aids in wound healing.
Reservoir-Tech: Helps active ingredients penetrate and provides a sustained release, potentially reducing irritation from ingredients like Salicylic Acid.
Pro Polymer™: Acts as the gel-forming agent.
NaturePreserve™: Provides preservation for the formula.

Mixing Instructions

Here are the steps to prepare the gel formulation:

Weigh out the required amount of water.
In the water, add and dissolve the following ingredients, stirring until completely clear: Safe-B3™, GlucoBright™, Panthenol, L-Carnitine, NaturePreserve™, and Salicylic Acid EZ™. Ensure the Salicylic Acid EZ™ is fully dissolved before proceeding.
Slowly sprinkle Pro Polymer™ into the water mixture while stirring gently. Continue stirring slowly until a smooth, homogeneous gel is formed. Avoid high-speed blending.
Once the gel base is ready, add Activated Resorcinol S™ and AcneBee™ Extra. Mix gently until they are fully incorporated into the gel.
Add Reservoir-Tech and mix until evenly distributed.
Check the pH of the final gel. For optimal efficacy and stability of the active ingredients, the pH should ideally be between 4.0 and 5.5. Adjust the pH if necessary using a few drops of a suitable acid (like Citric Acid solution) or base (like Triethanolamine solution), mixing well after each addition, until the desired pH is reached.
Transfer the finished gel into an opaque container to protect Activated Resorcinol S™ from light. Store the product according to the storage recommendations for the individual ingredients, especially those that require refrigeration.

Note: The proposed formula does not include Disodium EDTA, which is recommended for the stability of Activated Resorcinol S™. Adding 0.2% Disodium EDTA in step 2 (dissolved in the water phase) can help improve the long-term stability and prevent discoloration of the gel.