Questions about BHA/AHA Gel and Nourishing Formula: Application, Effectiveness, Texture, and Formulation

Hello,

Regarding your questions about the formulas and usage:

• Application Order and Daytime Use: As previously advised, please use the BHA formula immediately after washing your face, both morning and evening. Leave it on for 10-15 minutes, then apply the nourishing skin formula. The nourishing formula can be used regularly at least twice a day (morning and evening). The BHA formula can also be used morning and evening, but observe your skin's reaction. If you feel irritation, redness, or peeling, reduce the frequency of use.
• Effectiveness on Steroid Acne: The recommended formulas focus on strengthening the skin, reducing oiliness, and helping with clogged/inflamed acne, which is an approach to care for skin damaged by steroids as much as possible. There are no ingredients that directly regenerate skin from steroid damage, but strengthening the skin overall will improve its condition.
• Effectiveness on Acne Scars and Additional Ingredients: The recommended formulas do not specifically target acne scar treatment. As previously advised, you should address the acne problem first before focusing on scar treatment. This may require ingredients that help stimulate collagen, such as Vitamin C, used continuously for 3-6 months. For severe acne scars, you may need to consider other treatments like Derma Roller or Laser.
• Can I make a BHA Toner? The BHA formula provided is a gel. If you want to make a BHA Toner, which is typically a clear liquid, you would need to adjust the formula and ingredients to be suitable for a toner. Generally, a toner is a solution of BHA in water, possibly with added penetration enhancers and preservatives.
• Nourishing Formula is Liquid After Adding Zinc PCA: As previously mentioned, Zinc PCA is an Electrolyte which can cause the gel formula to become liquid. It can still be used normally without affecting its effectiveness, although it may be harder to apply. You can add more Pro Polymer to help thicken it if desired.
• Is Cloudy BHA Serum Usable? The cloudiness is normal and does not affect the formula's effectiveness. It is likely caused by air bubbles during mixing. It is safe to use.
• Reducing Stickiness: For the nourishing skin formula, you can adjust the texture by adding Silicone such as Cyclomethicone or powdered emollients such as PowderCream as previously advised. For the BHA formula, stickiness can occur naturally due to the high concentration of the active ingredient and solvent. You can also adjust the texture or consider making it a wash-off product if the stickiness is a major issue.
• Mixing AHA with Body Lotion: Mixing the prepared AHA Gel with a pre-made body lotion can be difficult and may affect the product's stability. If you want to use AHA in a body lotion format, it is more appropriate to formulate a lotion base with AHA as a key ingredient from the start. For the current AHA Gel, if it feels sticky, you can try adjusting the texture by adding silicones or emollients, similar to the facial formulas.

Hope this information is helpful.