Assessment of Irritation-Reducing Lotion Formula

Based on the ingredients you've listed in your irritation-reducing lotion formula, which include Beta Glucan, Hi-LiconeA™ Licorice Extract, MOIST72™, and Skin Barrier Cream Base (Emulsifier Free) with DI Water, here is some initial information to address your questions.

1. Will the texture be difficult to spread, and how can it be adjusted?

• Texture: The Skin Barrier Cream Base (Emulsifier Free) used at 20% is described as having a thick cream-like texture. This base is designed to restore the skin barrier and is recommended at 20-50% for problematic skin. Using 20% is within the lower end of the range for problematic skin.
  Some types of Beta Glucan (like Beta Glucan from yeast) have heavy particles that may precipitate if the formula is not viscous enough, indicating it can affect the texture and stability of the formula.
  Therefore, your formula might have a relatively thick texture compared to a very light lotion, which could make it slightly less easy to spread than a very fluid lotion.
• Adjustment: If you wish to make the lotion easier to spread, you could consider the following adjustments:
  • Increase the proportion of water (DI Water): Adding more water can help reduce the thickness of the base.
  • Adjust the thickener system: The information for the Skin Barrier Cream Base suggests that if you want to adjust it to a lotion, you can mix 50% base with 49.7% water and 0.3% Xanthan Gum to help achieve a smoother texture and better spreadability, ensuring compatibility with your ingredients.

2. Will this formula help reduce irritation, dryness, redness, and itching?

Based on the information for each ingredient in your formula:

• Beta Glucan: Has properties that help protect skin from irritation, restore weak, irritated, allergic, or dry skin, strengthen skin, reduce allergic reactions, and is an anti-irritant. Using 5% is the recommended rate for irritated/sensitive skin.
• Hi-LiconeA™ Licorice Extract (Licochalcone A 20%): Has properties that help reduce skin inflammation, redness from acne, irritation, and is anti-allergy/anti-inflammatory/anti-irritant. Using 0.3% is the recommended rate for allergic rash (Eczema).
• MOIST72™: Provides high, continuous, and long-lasting moisturizing effect (at least 72 hours), can be used on dry skin (Eczema, dehydration), very dry skin, and helps reduce irritation. Using 2% is suitable for normal to dry skin.
• Skin Barrier Cream Base (Emulsifier Free): Is a cream base that helps restore the skin's protective barrier, suitable for irritated, allergic, red, and dry skin. It contains Skin-Mimic Lipids to help replenish the skin barrier. Clinical tests showed reduced irritation and increased moisture.

Overall, all four ingredients in your formula have properties aimed at reducing irritation, inflammation, providing moisture, and strengthening the skin barrier, which aligns with the goal of creating a lotion to reduce irritation, dryness, redness, and itching.

3. What is the minimum age for children to use this?

The product information for the individual ingredients and the cream base does not explicitly state a clear minimum age for use in young children. While the Skin Barrier Cream Base was tested on a group including children as young as 3, this does not guarantee safety for all young children or infants. Determining suitability for infants and very young children requires specific safety considerations and potentially additional testing. Therefore, we cannot provide a definitive minimum age for children to use this formula. Consulting with a pediatric dermatologist is recommended if you plan to use this on very young children.