Lotion Texture Issues: Stickiness, Poor Absorption, Pilling

Your lotion formulation has issues with stickiness, poor absorption, and slight pilling after drying. This often occurs when certain humectants or gelling agents are used at high concentrations.

In your formula, several ingredients could contribute to the sticky feeling, particularly:

• Natto Gum (4%): This natural extract is an excellent humectant, but at high percentages, it can make the texture feel sticky and slightly stringy, likely a primary cause of the issue.
• N-Acetyl-D-Glucosamine (4%): This whitening active also provides hydration. Using it at 4% might feel slightly tacky on the skin for some individuals.
• Niacinamide (5%): While less sticky than the first two, a high concentration can still influence the overall skin feel.
• Xanthan Gum (0.5%) and Satin Cream Maker™ (Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, 1.5%): These are gelling/emulsifying agents. If not used at appropriate levels or incompatible with other ingredients, they can contribute to pilling when the product dries.

To improve the texture, make it less sticky, enhance absorption, and reduce pilling, consider adjusting your formula as follows:

1. Reduce Natto Gum: This is the most likely culprit. Try reducing Natto Gum from 4% down to approximately 1-2%. Lowering this gelling/thickening agent will significantly reduce tackiness.
2. Consider reducing N-Acetyl-D-Glucosamine: If reducing Natto Gum isn't sufficient, or if you want an even lighter texture, you could try slightly reducing N-Acetyl-D-Glucosamine, perhaps to around 2-3%.
3. Increase the oil phase/add emollients: Adding a light emollient can help the lotion spread more easily, absorb better, and reduce the dry, slightly film-forming feel that can lead to pilling.
   • Try increasing Squalane (Olive) from 2% to 3-5%.
   • Alternatively, you could add another light, fast-absorbing ester like Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride at 1-3% (if available) to improve the skin feel and reduce stickiness/pilling.

Summary of suggested adjustments:

• Reduce Natto Gum (from 4%) to 1-2%.
• (Optional) Reduce N-Acetyl-D-Glucosamine (from 4%) to 2-3%.
• Increase Squalane (from 2%) to 3-5% or add another light emollient 1-3%.

Remember to slightly increase the amount of purified water (AQUA) to compensate for the changes and keep the total at 100%. These adjustments should help your lotion feel less sticky, absorb better, and minimize pilling, resulting in a more comfortable texture.