Impact of Royal Jelly and Aloe Vera on Vitamin C Serum Stability

Adding ingredients like Royal Jelly and Aloe Vera to a DIY Vitamin C serum, especially one based on L-Ascorbic Acid (like the Skinceuticals type), can indeed affect its quality and stability.

Why Stability is Affected

L-Ascorbic Acid is most stable and effective in a low pH environment, typically between 2.0 and 4.0 (with 3.5-4.0 being ideal for skin). Natural extracts like Royal Jelly and Aloe Vera contain minerals, electrolytes, and other compounds that can raise the pH of the formulation. When the pH increases, L-Ascorbic Acid becomes highly unstable and oxidizes rapidly, losing its potency and turning yellow or brown.

Solutions and Recommendations

1. Use Stabilized Vitamin C Derivatives: Instead of L-Ascorbic Acid, consider using more stable forms of Vitamin C that are less sensitive to pH and other ingredients. Examples include:

   • Ethyl Ascorbic Acid: This derivative is highly stable, water-soluble, and effective. It is stable in a pH range of 3.5-6.0, making it more compatible with a wider range of ingredients than L-Ascorbic Acid.
   • Ascorbyl Glucoside: Another stable, water-soluble derivative. It is most stable in a pH range of 6.5-6.8. While this pH is higher than ideal for L-Ascorbic Acid, it is suitable for many other cosmetic ingredients.

2. Separate Formulations: If you want to use L-Ascorbic Acid for its specific benefits and also include Royal Jelly and Aloe Vera, consider formulating them as separate products. You could have a low-pH L-Ascorbic Acid serum and a separate serum or gel containing Royal Jelly and Aloe Vera, applying them at different times (e.g., Vitamin C in the morning, Royal Jelly/Aloe Vera at night) or layering them carefully, although layering can still sometimes cause interactions.

3. Careful pH Management: If you insist on combining them with L-Ascorbic Acid, you would need precise pH measurement and adjustment to keep the final formula within the optimal low pH range for L-Ascorbic Acid (3.5-4.0). However, adding ingredients that naturally raise pH will make this very challenging and potentially compromise the stability significantly over time, even with pH adjustment.

In summary, the concern about Royal Jelly and Aloe Vera affecting Vitamin C quality is valid due to pH changes. Using stabilized Vitamin C derivatives or formulating the ingredients separately are recommended approaches to maintain the efficacy of your Vitamin C product.