Question on Lotion Mixing Procedure

Question

I am making a lotion with the following ingredients and percentages:

Phase 1:

Natural Oil: 12%
Alaria Esculenta Extract: 1%
Light Cream Maker: 1%

Phase 2:

DI Water: 74.5%
Safe-B3: 4%
GlucoBright: 4%
Natto Gum: 3%

Phase 3:

Mild Preserved Eco: 0.5%

My proposed mixing method is:

Mix 1 + 2 + 3 together.
Mix 4 + 5 + 6 + 7 together.
Slowly pour the water mixture into the oil mixture, stirring until a cream texture is formed.
Then add 8 and stir until combined.

Is this mixing method correct?

MySkinRecipes Expert · Accepted Answer

Regarding your lotion formulation steps:
The general process for making a lotion involves combining an oil phase and a water phase with an emulsifier to create a stable emulsion (cream). Your steps follow this basic principle by mixing some ingredients together and then combining the two mixtures.

However, step 1, where you mix Natural Oil, Alaria Esculenta Extract, and Light Cream Maker, is a bit unusual. Alaria Esculenta Extract is typically a water-soluble ingredient and is usually added to the water phase (step 2) along with DI Water, Safe-B3, GlucoBright, and Natto Gum.

A more conventional method would be:

Mix the oil-soluble ingredients (Natural Oil, and potentially Light Cream Maker depending on its type) together.
Mix all water-soluble ingredients (DI Water, Safe-B3, GlucoBright, Natto Gum, and Alaria Esculenta Extract) together.
Combine the water phase and oil phase while mixing to form the cream.
Add the preservative (Mild Preserved Eco) at the end.

While your method might work depending on the specific properties of the Light Cream Maker and Alaria Esculenta Extract you are using, adding water-soluble extracts to the water phase is the standard practice and generally recommended for better stability and incorporation.

Adding the preservative (Mild Preserved Eco) at the end (step 4) is correct.