Serum Formulation for Oily Skin: Anti-aging, Pore Tightening, Whitening

Hello,

Thank you for your question regarding a serum formulation using the ingredients you listed, aiming for anti-aging, pore tightening, and whitening benefits for oily skin.

Based on the ingredients you provided and the advice from our staff:

• Vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid) is not compatible with Safe-B3 (Niacinamide) and is unstable in water-based formulas. Therefore, we do not recommend including L-ascorbic acid in this serum formulation.
• Salicylic Acid EZ™ can be beneficial for pores and oily skin. However, our staff advised caution when mixing it with other skincare ingredients due to potential irritation and the need for inconsistent usage depending on skin response. Please consider this point carefully when deciding whether to include it in your final formula.

The ingredients from your list that are suitable for use together in a serum formulation for your stated goals are:

• Ume Extract: Helps with anti-aging by targeting glycation.
• Safe-B3™ (Niacinamide): Excellent for pore tightening, improving skin tone for whitening, and controlling oiliness, making it suitable for oily skin.
• Pep®-Coll (Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5): An anti-aging peptide that helps reduce wrinkles by supporting collagen synthesis.
• DMAE (SkinTight MD™) Liquid: Known for its anti-aging and skin/pore tightening effects.
• Alpha Arbutin: Helps brighten skin tone and reduce dark spots for whitening.
• Pro Polymer™: Used as a thickener to create the serum texture.
• Phenoxyethanol: Used as a preservative to ensure product safety and shelf life.
• Water: The base of your serum.

Regarding your questions about ingredient necessity, changes, or additions:

• Vitamin C (L-AA) is unnecessary and should be excluded from this specific formula due to incompatibility and instability.
• Salicylic Acid EZ™ is relevant for your goals (pores/oily skin) but requires careful consideration due to the staff's warning about mixing with other actives and potential irritation.
• The other listed active ingredients (Ume Extract, Safe-B3, Pep®-Coll, DMAE, Alpha Arbutin) are relevant to your desired benefits.
• Pro Polymer and Phenoxyethanol are necessary for achieving the desired serum texture and ensuring preservation, respectively.
• Note on Formulation: Combining ingredients like DMAE (an electrolyte) and potentially Salicylic Acid (which requires a low pH for efficacy) with a thickener like Pro Polymer (which can be sensitive to electrolytes and pH) might present formulation challenges, potentially affecting stability or texture. Adjustments to concentrations, pH, or considering alternative thickeners might be necessary if stability issues arise.
• For potential additions, the staff suggested exploring ingredients in the oily skin category on the website to further enhance oil control benefits.

For the exact usage percentages of each ingredient and detailed mixing instructions to create approximately 100ml of serum, please refer to the individual product pages on the website and the basic formulation guides provided there. We cannot provide specific ratios or step-by-step instructions directly here, as advised by the staff.

We hope this guidance helps you in formulating your serum!