Analysis of Your Homemade Cleansing Oil Formula

It's understandable that you're experiencing dryness, roughness, and itching after using your homemade cleansing oil, especially when trying to replicate a formula you liked. Let's analyze your formula compared to the commercial one you provided.

Your formula consists of:

• LipidSoft CC (20%)
• Capric/Caprylic Triglyceride (20%)
• Natural Oils (Olive Oil, Grapeseed Oil, Safflower Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Apricot Kernel Oil) (44.2%)
• Oilsify 15 + Oilsify 30 (15.8%)
• Tocopherol Acetate (0.2%)

The commercial cleansing oil you used previously contains a blend of oils (Olive, Sweet Almond, Caprylic/caprylic triglyceride, Safflower, Meadowfoam, Jojoba, Grape Seed, Squalene, Apricot Kernel) and emulsifiers (Laureth-4, Trilaureth-4 Phosphate, Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate, Polyglyceryl-2 Tetraoleate), along with Tocopherol and Phenoxyethanol.

Based on the ingredients and your experience, the most likely cause of the dryness, roughness, and itching is the emulsifier system in your homemade formula.

• Emulsifier Concentration and Type: You are using a combination of Oilsify 15 and Oilsify 30 at a total concentration of 15.8%. While these are effective emulsifiers for cleansing oils, the specific blend and concentration might be too high or not ideally balanced for your skin type compared to the emulsifier system in the commercial product. If the emulsifiers are too strong or not rinsed off completely, they can strip the skin's natural oils, leading to dryness, a rough texture, and irritation or itching. The commercial product uses a different combination of emulsifiers, including Laureth-4 and Trilaureth-4 Phosphate, which might interact differently with your skin and rinse more cleanly for you.
• Oil Blend: Your blend of natural oils (Olive Oil, Grapeseed Oil, Safflower Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Apricot Kernel Oil) are generally beneficial for the skin. LipidSoft CC and Caprylic/Caprylic Triglyceride are also common emollients. It's less likely that this specific combination of oils is the primary cause of the widespread dryness and itching, although individual sensitivities to any ingredient are always possible.
• Tocopherol Acetate: You used Tocopherol Acetate, while the commercial product lists Tocopherol. Both are forms of Vitamin E. While some people can be sensitive to Vitamin E derivatives, the concentration in your formula (0.2%) is quite low and primarily serves as an antioxidant for the oil itself. It's less likely to be the main culprit for the symptoms you described.

Recommendations:

To address the dryness, roughness, and itching, consider adjusting the emulsifier concentration in your formula.

1. Reduce Emulsifier Concentration: Try reducing the total percentage of the Oilsify 15 and Oilsify 30 blend. The recommended usage range for Oilsify 15 is 5-20% (10-15% recommended), and for Oilsify 30 is 5-30% (8-15% recommended). Your current 15.8% is at the higher end of the recommended range for Oilsify 15 and within the range for Oilsify 30. Experiment with a lower combined percentage, perhaps in the 10-12% range, while keeping the oil phase higher. This might help the oil rinse off more gently without stripping too much moisture.
2. Ensure Thorough Rinsing: Make sure you are thoroughly rinsing the cleansing oil from your face after use. Any residue left behind by the emulsifiers could contribute to the irritation.
3. Patch Test: Before applying any new formulation to your entire face, always perform a patch test on a small area of skin to check for adverse reactions.

It's possible that your skin is reacting specifically to the Oilsify blend or its concentration. Adjusting the emulsifiers is the most direct way to potentially resolve the dryness and irritation you're experiencing.