Modifying Anti-Melasma Cream to Serum or Gel

To change the texture of the Anti-melasma cream formula from a cream to a serum or gel, you are correct that you would typically remove the oil-phase ingredients and adjust the thickening/emulsifying system.

• Removing Mineral Oil: Mineral oil is an emollient that contributes to the creamy texture. Removing it will make the formula more water-based, which is suitable for serums and gels.
• Removing Sym-White (Phenylethyl Resorcinol): Sym-White is an active ingredient for whitening and anti-melasma. While it is soluble in oil and can be challenging to incorporate into purely water-based formulas without specific solubilizers or an oil phase, removing it will reduce the anti-melasma efficacy of the product. If you want to keep the anti-melasma benefits of Sym-White in a serum or gel, you would need to ensure it is properly dissolved or dispersed, potentially using a suitable solvent or a system designed for oil-soluble actives in water bases.
• Changing the Cream Maker: The original formula uses Luxury Cream Maker™ which is designed for creating cream textures. For a serum or gel, you would need to replace this with a gelling agent (for a gel) or a different type of emulsifier/thickener suitable for lighter textures (for a serum). As suggested in the reply, Light Cream Maker™ is an option for creating a lighter, lotion-like texture, which could be closer to a serum depending on the concentration used.

The other ingredients in the formula, such as Mahad extract (Artocarpus Lakoocha Wood Extract), Green Tea extract (Hi-EGCG), GlucoBright (Acetyl Glucosamine), Vitamin B3 (Safe-B3), Disodium EDTA, and Phenoxyethanol, are generally water-soluble or can be incorporated into a water-based system, making them suitable for a serum or gel formulation base once the oil and cream maker are adjusted.

In summary, removing mineral oil and Luxury Cream Maker™ is necessary to shift from a cream to a serum or gel texture. Removing Sym-White is possible but will impact the anti-melasma effectiveness and its incorporation into a water-based formula needs careful consideration. You would need to select an appropriate gelling agent or a lighter emulsifier like Light Cream Maker™ to achieve the desired serum or gel consistency.