Review of Anti-Aging, Lifting, Brightening Serum Formula

Subject: Review of Anti-Aging, Lifting, Brightening Serum Formula

Thank you for sharing your serum formulation for anti-aging, lifting, firming, and brightening.

Based on the ingredients you listed, the formula includes many excellent active ingredients that target your desired concerns:

• Anti-Aging/Lifting/Firming: Repair Activator (Bifida Ferment Lysate), DMAE, Wakame Extract, YogurtFirm, EGF, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 (Argireline), Matrixyl 3000, Horse Placenta, Adenosine Triphosphate.
• Brightening: Alpha Arbutin, GlucoBright™ (Acetyl glucosamine), Yeast Radiance™.
• Hydration/Soothing: MOIST72, Natto Gum, Panthenol, WaterLock™, Allantoin, Aloe Vera Gel Lite.
• Other: PaeoniaPreserve (Preservative), ActiveProtec™ OX (Antioxidant), Dimethyl Isosorbide (Penetration Enhancer).

Regarding your questions:

1. Can this be used as a serum? Yes, using Aloe Vera Gel Lite as the base is suitable for a serum texture. However, with such a high concentration of active ingredients (over 70% excluding the base), the final texture might be thicker or stickier than a typical light serum, depending on the specific properties of each ingredient at these concentrations (especially Natto Gum at 5%).
2. Are there too many ingredients? Yes, this is a very complex formulation with a large number of active ingredients. While each ingredient has potential benefits, combining this many can lead to several challenges:
   • Stability: Interactions between numerous ingredients can affect the stability of the product over time (color, odor, efficacy, separation).
   • Compatibility: Some ingredients may have optimal pH ranges or require specific conditions that conflict with others in the formula. Simply mixing everything might reduce the effectiveness of some actives.
   • Irritation Risk: A higher number of active ingredients, especially at high concentrations, increases the potential for skin sensitivity or irritation.
   • Redundancy: Some ingredients may offer similar benefits, making the combination less efficient or necessary.
   • Formulation Complexity: Proper formulation often requires specific mixing procedures, temperatures, and pH adjustments, which might not be achieved by simply combining everything into the base.

Recommendations:

To create a more stable, potentially less irritating, and still effective serum, consider simplifying the formula:

• Reduce the number of actives: Focus on a select few key ingredients for each target concern (e.g., choose 1-2 strong anti-aging peptides/ferments, 1-2 lifting/firming agents, and 1-2 brightening actives).
• Check supplier recommendations: Verify the recommended usage percentage and optimal formulation conditions (pH, temperature, compatibility) for each ingredient, especially for EGF, Bifida Ferment Lysate, YogurtFirm, Natto Gum, and PaeoniaPreserve, as some percentages seem quite high. Adjust percentages based on these recommendations.
• Consider the total active load: Aim for a more balanced ratio between the base and active ingredients to ensure a desirable serum texture and better stability.
• Proper Mixing: Follow specific instructions for incorporating each ingredient, as some may require different methods than simple mixing into the base.

For example, you could select:

• For Anti-aging/Lifting: Bifida Ferment Lysate (at a lower percentage like 5-10%), DMAE, and one key peptide like Matrixyl 3000 or Argireline.
• For Brightening: Alpha Arbutin and Acetyl Glucosamine.
• For Hydration: MOIST72 or Natto Gum (at a lower percentage like 1-2%), Panthenol, Allantoin.
• Keep DMI for penetration enhancement and ActiveProtec OX as an antioxidant.
• Ensure the preservative system (PaeoniaPreserve) is effective for this complex formula at the correct usage rate.

Simplifying the formula will make it easier to troubleshoot, more likely to be stable, and potentially gentler on the skin while still delivering significant benefits.