Improving Your Formulas

Mineral Water Shower Gel

To make your shower gel more conditioning and potentially offer some minor brightening benefits, you can enhance the formula by adjusting the levels of existing ingredients and adding others.

• Enhance Conditioning: Your formula already lists Polyquaternium. Increasing the level of a good conditioning polymer like Poly-Conditioner 47 can significantly improve the feel of the skin after rinsing, making it feel softer and smoother. A typical usage rate is between 0.5% and 2%.
• Add Brightening: While challenging in a rinse-off product, adding a stable brightening agent like Safe-B3™ (Niacinamide) can offer some benefits, including improving skin barrier function and potentially contributing to a more even skin tone over time with regular use. Niacinamide is water-soluble and can be added to the water phase. Consider adding 2-3%.
• Utilize Existing Ingredients: Keep Panthenol (Vitamin B5) and Hydrolyzed Milk (Casein) Protein. Although their impact is limited in rinse-off, they can still contribute some minor moisturizing and conditioning effects. Use Panthenol at 1-2% and Hydrolyzed Milk Protein at 1-5%. Cucumber Extract (3-5%) and Honey Extract (Water-Dispersible) (1-3%) can also be included for their soothing properties and marketing appeal, but manage expectations for significant efficacy.
• Base Formula: Ensure your primary surfactant system (DI Water, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Olive Oil derivative) is balanced for effective cleansing without being overly stripping. The percentages of these will form the bulk of your formula. Vegetable glycerine (typically 2-10%) helps with moisture.

Suggested Adjustments for Shower Gel (Example additions):

• Increase Poly-Conditioner 47 to 0.5-2%.
• Add Safe-B3™ (Niacinamide) at 2-3%.
• Ensure Panthenol (Vitamin B5) is at 1-2%.
• Ensure Hydrolyzed Milk (Casein) Protein is at 1-5%.
• Include Cucumber Extract at 3-5%.
• Include Honey Extract (Water-Dispersible) at 1-3%.
• Adjust DI Water and other base ingredients accordingly to reach 100%.

Remember to include a suitable preservative system (like the one you currently use or a modern alternative) and adjust fragrance and color as desired.

Milk Bath Soak

Your milk bath soak is primarily oil-based, which is excellent for moisturizing. To enhance it for conditioning and brightening, you can make the following additions:

• Enhance Conditioning: Your formula already includes Hydrolyzed Milk (Casein) Protein. This is a good ingredient for skin conditioning in a bath soak due to longer contact time. Ensure it is included at an effective concentration, such as 2-5%.
• Add Brightening & Improve Dispersion: To add brightening agents and ensure the oils and water-soluble ingredients disperse well in the bathwater (rather than just floating on top), you need an emulsifier and a water-soluble brightening agent.
  • Add Polysorbate 80 (Tween 80) as an emulsifier to help disperse the oils in the water. The amount needed will depend on the total oil content, but a starting point could be 10-20% of the total oil amount, or adjusted until the oils disperse nicely in the bathwater.
  • Add Safe-B3™ (Niacinamide) at 2-5% to the water phase for its brightening and skin barrier benefits.
• Oils: Your current mix of Mineral Oil, Fractionated Coconut Oil, Jojoba Oil, and Sweet Almond Oil provides good emollience for softness and smoothness. You can adjust the ratio based on desired feel and cost. Mineral Oil and Fractionated Coconut Oil are stable and provide a non-greasy feel compared to some other oils. Jojoba Oil and Sweet Almond Oil offer additional skin benefits.
• Fragrance: Keep Fragrance and Cedarwood Essential Oil as desired.

Suggested Additions for Milk Bath Soak:

• Ensure Hydrolyzed Milk (Casein) Protein is at 2-5%.
• Add Polysorbate 80 (Tween 80) at a level sufficient to disperse the oils (e.g., 10-20% of the oil phase).
• Add Safe-B3™ (Niacinamide) at 2-5%.
• Adjust the percentages of your oils, fragrance, and essential oil as needed to reach 100%.

These suggestions provide a starting point for modifying your formulas. Always test new formulations for stability, efficacy, and safety before widespread use.