Improving Your Serum Formulation

Your current serum formulation with 50% oil is likely the main reason for the oily feel and poor absorption. To make it feel lighter and absorb better, you should significantly reduce the oil phase and adjust the ingredients.

Reducing Oiliness and Improving Absorption

1. Reduce Oil Percentage: Lower the total oil content in your formula. Serums typically have a much lower oil phase (e.g., 10-20% or less). Replace the reduced oil amount with more water or water-soluble ingredients.
2. Choose Lighter Emollients: Select oils or esters that are known for a light, non-greasy feel and good absorption. Consider incorporating ingredients like:
   • Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride: A light, non-greasy emollient that absorbs quickly.
   • Fractionated Coconut Oil: Another light oil that feels soft and smooth without being greasy.
   • LipidSoft™ Shine or LipidSoft™ Lux: Esters that provide a smooth, non-greasy feel.

Suspending Gold Powder

Suspending dense particles like gold powder requires effective thickening and suspending agents. While AVC provides some thickening, it may not be sufficient to prevent settling of gold powder over time.

To improve suspension, you can use stronger suspending agents such as:

• Xanthan Gum: A natural thickener and suspending agent. Different grades are available, including those designed for clear gels or easy dispersion. Use at a low percentage (typically 0.1-1%) to avoid stringiness, but it can significantly help suspend particles.
• Carbomer: Synthetic polymers that create clear gels with good suspending properties. Carbomer 974 is noted for high suspension capabilities. You will need to neutralize Carbomers with an alkali (like Triethanolamine or Sodium Hydroxide) to form the gel and achieve suspension.
• BYK 410 (Anti-Settling Additive): This is a specialized additive designed specifically to prevent particle settling.

You might need to experiment with the concentration of these suspending agents or use a combination to achieve stable suspension of the gold powder without making the serum too thick or unpleasant in texture.

Remember to adjust your formulation percentages to accommodate the new ingredients while keeping the total at 100%. Start with low percentages of thickeners/suspending agents and increase gradually until you achieve the desired texture and suspension.