Skincare Formulation for Acne, Large Pores, and Sensitive Skin

We understand your frustration with severe acne, large pores, scarring, and sensitive skin. It's a challenging situation, and it's commendable that you are looking into formulating your own products.

Based on your description and the advice from the forum, the priority is to control the acne breakouts and strengthen your skin barrier, which seems compromised and contributes to sensitivity and clogged pores.

Here is a suggested serum formulation focusing on these goals, using ingredients known for their efficacy and gentler profiles suitable for sensitive skin:

Recommended Ingredients and Benefits

• Complex Salicylic Acid: A water-soluble form of BHA that provides gentle exfoliation to help unclog pores and reduce acne without causing excessive irritation, unlike traditional BHA for sensitive skin.
• Zinc PCA: Helps to significantly reduce oiliness, which is a major factor in clogged pores and acne. It also has anti-inflammatory properties and supports skin healing.
• Safe-B3™ (Niacinamide): A highly pure form of Vitamin B3 that offers multiple benefits: reducing oiliness, minimizing the appearance of pores, fading dark spots and redness, strengthening the skin barrier, and providing anti-inflammatory effects.
• Panthenol (Vitamin B5): A soothing and hydrating ingredient that helps to calm irritation, promote wound healing (useful for post-acne marks), and strengthen the skin's natural barrier.
• Allantoin: Known for its soothing and skin-healing properties, helping to reduce irritation and support tissue regeneration.
• Natural Bisabolol: An active component of chamomile, widely used for its strong anti-inflammatory and soothing effects, ideal for reducing redness and irritation in sensitive skin.
• Skin-Barrier™ (Ceramides Liposome): Contains a blend of ceramides, cholesterol, and fatty acids in a liposomal form to effectively replenish the skin's natural lipids, repair the damaged barrier, reduce dryness, and decrease sensitivity.

Sample Serum Formulation

This is a water-based serum formula. You will need to add a preservative and potentially a solubilizer for Natural Bisabolol.

• Water: q.s. to 100%
• Complex Salicylic Acid: 2.5% (provides 1% active Salicylic Acid)
• Zinc PCA: 1.0%
• Safe-B3™ (Niacinamide): 5.0%
• Panthenol (Vitamin B5): 2.0%
• Allantoin: 0.5%
• Natural Bisabolol: 0.5%
• Skin-Barrier™: 5.0%
• Preservative: As per supplier's recommendation (e.g., 1.0% Mild Preserved Eco - please check compatibility and usage rate for your chosen preservative)
• Solubilizer for Natural Bisabolol: As needed (e.g., around 0.5-1.0% - please check compatibility and usage rate for your chosen solubilizer)

Notes on Formulation and Usage

1. Mix the water-soluble ingredients (Complex Salicylic Acid, Zinc PCA, Safe-B3™, Panthenol, Allantoin, Skin-Barrier™) into the water phase. Gentle heating may help dissolve powders like Allantoin and Complex Salicylic Acid, but avoid prolonged high heat.
2. Natural Bisabolol is oil-soluble and will require a suitable solubilizer to disperse evenly in the water-based serum. Add the Bisabolol and solubilizer separately before combining with the main water phase, or follow the solubilizer supplier's instructions.
3. Add the preservative according to the supplier's instructions.
4. Check and adjust the final pH of the serum to be within the optimal range for the ingredients (generally between 4.0-6.0 for this combination, but check individual ingredient pH requirements).
5. Start by using this serum once a day, perhaps in the evening. Monitor your skin for any signs of irritation (redness, stinging, peeling). If your skin tolerates it well after a couple of weeks, you can try using it twice a day.
6. Be patient. Improving acne, pore size, and skin texture takes time, often several months of consistent use.
7. Once your acne is significantly controlled and your skin barrier feels stronger and less sensitive, you can then consider adding ingredients specifically targeting acne scars and texture, such as Copper Peptide.

Remember that skin conditions, especially those influenced by hormones, can be complex. This formulation provides a solid foundation for addressing your primary concerns with gentle yet effective ingredients. Always perform a patch test before applying any new product to your entire face.