Formulation Analysis and Recommendations

You've put together a comprehensive list of ingredients targeting wrinkles, mild acne, and skin strengthening for oily/combination skin using a Pure Aloe Vera Gel base. The initial list of ingredients totals 23.6%, which is within the 25% limit for the base.

Here's a breakdown of the compatibility and synergy of the ingredients and answers to your specific questions:

Ingredient Compatibility and Synergy

The ingredients you've selected are generally compatible and work synergistically to address your skin concerns:

• Anti-Aging/Wrinkles: Ingredients like Vitamin B3, Japanese Cedar, Matrixyl™ 3000, and Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 (Argireline) (if added) target wrinkles and skin firmness. Matrixyl™ 3000 and Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 are often used together for enhanced anti-aging effects.
• Acne/Oil Control/Anti-Irritant: Licorice Root Extract (Licochalcone A), Vitamin B3, Allantoin, and Bisabolol help reduce inflammation, irritation, redness, and control oil, which are beneficial for mild acne and oily/combination skin. N-Acetyl-D Glucosamine also aids in gentle exfoliation and can help with acne breakouts.
• Skin Strengthening/Hydration: Vitamin B3 helps strengthen the skin barrier. N-Acetyl-D Glucosamine stimulates hyaluronic acid production for hydration. Japanese Cedar also helps restore skin barrier strength and improves hydration.
• Penetration: Phospholipid (Hydrogenated Lecithin) can help improve the delivery and absorption of other active ingredients.

Overall, the combination of ingredients addresses multiple concerns effectively.

Regarding whether any ingredients should be removed:

• HyaCoat™ (Cationic Hyaluronic Acid): As noted by the staff reply, this ingredient is designed to adhere to skin/hair even after rinsing. While it provides a smooth feel, it may not be essential for a leave-on serum for oily/combination skin that doesn't have significant dryness issues. Removing it could slightly reduce the total active percentage and potentially the feeling of weight on the skin.
• DMAE: The staff reply mentioned that DMAE can feel sticky, especially at higher concentrations (you proposed 4%, with a recommended maximum of 3% for avoiding stickiness, although usage rates up to 10% are listed). For oily/combination skin, stickiness can be a concern. If you find the texture too heavy or sticky, reducing or removing DMAE could be beneficial.

Adding More Ingredients and Texture

You asked about adding Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 (Argireline) at 10% and increasing Matrixyl™ 3000 by 3% (to a total of 8%).

The Pure Aloe Vera Gel base is designed to accommodate a maximum of 25% total active ingredients. Your initial list already totals 23.6%. Adding 10% Argireline and an additional 3% Matrixyl™ 3000 would bring the total active ingredients to 23.6% + 10% + 3% = 36.6%.

This significantly exceeds the recommended 25% limit for the base. Exceeding this limit is not advisable as it can:

• Compromise the stability and efficacy of the formulation.
• Significantly alter the texture, making the product heavy, sticky, or potentially causing pilling, especially on oily/combination skin.
• Increase the risk of skin irritation due to high concentrations of multiple active ingredients.

Therefore, you should select ingredients and their percentages to stay within the 25% total active ingredient limit for the base. You cannot add 10% Argireline and increase Matrixyl 3000 as proposed while using this base and maintaining a stable, pleasant texture within the recommended limits.

If you wish to include Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 and Matrixyl 3000, you will need to adjust the percentages of all active ingredients to ensure the total remains at or below 25%. For example, you could include Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 and Matrixyl 3000 at their recommended usage rates (e.g., 3-10% for Argireline, 3-5% for Matrixyl 3000) and then select other ingredients and their percentages to fill the remaining portion of the 25% total.

Regarding Panthenol (Vitamin B5) ExtraLite™ with DMAE: Panthenol (Vitamin B5) ExtraLite™ is indeed a lighter version of Vitamin B5 and can help improve the texture and reduce stickiness when used with DMAE, as mentioned in its description. However, considering the staff's note about DMAE's potential stickiness for your skin type, you might still find the overall formula heavy if DMAE is included, even with B5 ExtraLite™.

Adding a high total percentage of active ingredients (like 36.6%) would definitely make the product feel very heavy and likely sticky on oily/combination skin.

Layering with Vitamin C E Ferulic (Lite)

1. Applying after Vitamin C E Ferulic (Lite) by waiting 15 minutes: Yes, waiting 15 minutes after applying Vitamin C E Ferulic (Lite) before applying your gel formula is a correct and recommended practice. This allows the Vitamin C serum, which is typically acidic, to fully absorb and work at its optimal pH without potential interactions or stability issues with the subsequent product, especially one containing Niacinamide (Vitamin B3), which is best at a slightly higher pH range.
2. Effect of waiting 15 minutes on gel absorption: Waiting 15 minutes will not negatively impact the absorption of your gel formula. Applying it to skin that has absorbed the previous serum is a standard and effective way to layer products. The gel base is designed for skin absorption, and the waiting period ensures the skin is ready for the next layer without interference from the first product.

Additional Recommendations

• Prioritize Ingredients: Since you need to stay within the 25% total active ingredient limit, prioritize the ingredients that best address your primary concerns (wrinkles, mild acne, skin strengthening) for oily/combination skin. Vitamin B3, Licorice Extract, Japanese Cedar, Matrixyl 3000, and Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 are strong candidates.
• Consider Texture: For oily/combination skin, texture is important. Be mindful of ingredients that can increase stickiness (like DMAE) and consider using lighter alternatives or lower percentages if needed. Panthenol (Vitamin B5) ExtraLite™ is a good choice for a lighter feel if you decide to include a B5 derivative.
• Optimize Percentages: Review the recommended usage rates for each chosen active ingredient and formulate your 25% total based on these recommendations and your specific goals. For example, using Vitamin B3 at 5% or more is beneficial for multiple concerns, while Matrixyl 3000 and Argireline are typically effective at 3-10%. Balance these with the anti-acne/soothing ingredients like Licorice Extract, Allantoin, and Bisabolol.

In summary, your initial ingredient selection is good for targeting your concerns, but you must adhere to the 25% total active ingredient limit of the base. Adding 10% Argireline and increasing Matrixyl 3000 as proposed would exceed this limit and negatively impact the product's texture and potentially its stability and efficacy. Layering after Vitamin C E Ferulic (Lite) with a 15-minute wait is the correct method.