Formula Review and Advice for Melasma Gel Serum

Thank you for submitting your formula for review. Based on the discussion with the staff, here is a summary of the feedback and recommendations:

Formula Suitability for Melasma

The combination of whitening ingredients you selected (Tranexamic Acid, Alpha Arbutin, Niacinamide, GlucoBright) can work together to address melasma. As the staff mentioned, treating melasma often requires using multiple whitening agents at relatively high concentrations to see results. Your chosen ingredients are not considered redundant in this context.

Recommendations for Improvement

1. Penetration Enhancers: Avoid using both PE-1 Aqua and Reservoir-Tech simultaneously. There is no research confirming their combined effectiveness, and it might reduce their individual penetration enhancing abilities. Please choose only one of these ingredients for your formula.
2. Add Exfoliation: To enhance the treatment of melasma, the staff strongly recommends incorporating an ingredient that promotes skin cell turnover. An example provided is Willow Bark Extract (Natural Salicylic Acid) at 5%. Exfoliation helps to shed pigmented skin cells more quickly, leading to faster improvement compared to using only whitening agents.

Mixing Procedure

The proposed mixing procedure needs adjustment regarding the gel formation step:

• Mix ingredients 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, and 8 (or 6, depending on which penetration enhancer you choose) until well combined.
• Add ingredient 9 (Phenoxyethanol SA).
• Add ingredient 8 (Pro Polymer). Mix or stir until the gel forms. Refrigeration is not necessary for gel formation with Pro Polymer.

Important Note

Consistent use of effective sunscreen is crucial for the long-term success of melasma treatment and to prevent recurrence.

We hope this feedback is helpful!