Formula Review and Suggestions

Hello! It's great that you're exploring making your own skincare. This formula includes several excellent active ingredients known for their benefits.

Ingredient Compatibility:
The ingredients you've chosen are generally compatible in a water-based serum.

• Safe-B3™ (Niacinamide): Using 10% is within the recommended range for the high-purity Safe-B3™ type and can offer significant benefits for skin barrier, tone, and oil control. It dissolves well in water.
• Double Hyaluron Liquid & Panthenol (Vitamin B5) ExtraLite™: These are good hydrating ingredients and are typically water-soluble and compatible.
• Zinc PCA: At 1%, it's effective for oil reduction and supporting skin healing. It's water-soluble.
• Encapsulated Salicylic Acid: This form of Salicylic Acid is designed for easier incorporation into formulas and provides a timed release, which can help reduce potential irritation compared to standard Salicylic Acid. It can be dispersed or dissolved in the water phase depending on the specific type.

The pH of the final formula is important for the stability and efficacy of ingredients like Niacinamide, Zinc PCA, and Salicylic Acid. While these ingredients have overlapping compatible pH ranges (around 4-7), it's crucial to check and adjust the final pH to ensure optimal performance and minimize potential issues like recrystallization of Salicylic Acid or reduced efficacy of Zinc PCA.

Missing Components:
While your formula has good active ingredients, a complete and stable cosmetic formulation typically requires a few more components:

• Preservative: This is essential for any water-based product to prevent the growth of bacteria, mold, and yeast, ensuring the product is safe to use and has a reasonable shelf life.
• Thickener/Viscosity Modifier: To give the serum a pleasant texture and prevent ingredients from settling over time. Without a thickener, the serum will be very watery.
• pH Adjuster: You will need an ingredient (like a mild acid or base) to adjust the final pH of your serum to the optimal range after all ingredients are mixed.
• Chelating Agent: Adding a chelating agent can help improve the stability of the formula by neutralizing metal ions that might be present in the water.
• Soothing Agents: With active ingredients like Niacinamide at 10% and Salicylic Acid, adding soothing ingredients could help minimize potential irritation, especially for beginners or those with sensitive skin.

Suggestions for a Beginner:

• Start with accurate measurements using a scale for percentages.
• Ensure proper hygiene when mixing to avoid contamination.
• Always perform a patch test on a small area of skin before applying the product to your face.
• Consider starting with slightly lower concentrations of active ingredients if you are concerned about skin sensitivity, although the concentrations you've chosen are within typical usage ranges for these specific ingredient types.

Adding a suitable preservative and thickener are the most critical steps to make this a stable and safe serum for personal use.