Serum Formulation Review and Freckle Serum Suggestion for Anti-Aging and Whitening

Question

I would like to create a night serum and a day serum. The day serum needs to be light and compatible with light makeup. The target skin type is normal skin with fine wrinkles and concerns about whitening.

I currently use The Ordinary's Buffet and like the feel but it hasn't helped with reducing fine wrinkles.

I have drafted the following formulas and would like your review and advice:

Night Serum Formula:

Water: 52%
Matrixyl 3000: 3%
Panthenol (Vitamin B5) ExtraLite: 3%
DMAE (SkinTight) Liquid: 5%
Glycerin 99.5%: 5%
Safe B3: %
Wrinkle-Fill: 2%
Adenosine Liposome: 3%
Ectoin: 2%
Ume Extract: 3%
Copper Peptide (GHK-Cu): 3%
Dimethyl Isosorbide (DMI): 3%
Satin Cream Maker: 2%
Skin mimic: 1%
Mild Preserved Eco: 1%

Regarding the Night Serum formula:
- Is there any advantage to using both Wrinkle-Fill (2%) and Adenosine Liposome (3%)? I prefer to choose one, please advise which would be better.
- Do you recommend any other products which contain Copper Peptide?

Day Serum Formula:

Water: 73%
Pitera Ex: 2%
Water lock: 2%
Skin mimic: 5%
Matrixyl 3000: 5%
Ume Extract: 3%
Safe B3: 5%
Panthenol (Vitamin B5) ExtraLite: 1%
Pure-EGCG: 1%
Quick-Coll: 1%
Satin Cream Maker: 2%
Mild Preserved Eco: 1%

General Questions:

Please also advise if any ingredients in these formulas (at the specified percentages) may clog up pores.
I am interested in making a separate serum for freckles to be applied before using the night serum. What would be the most simple formulation with as few ingredients as possible for this purpose?

MySkinRecipes Expert · Accepted Answer

Serum Formulation Review and Freckle Serum Suggestion

Here is a review of your proposed night and day serum formulations, along with a suggestion for a simple freckle serum.

Night Serum Review

Your Night Serum formula includes a good blend of ingredients targeting anti-aging, hydration, and skin barrier support.

Anti-Aging: Ingredients like Matrixyl 3000, DMAE, Wrinkle-Fill, Adenosine Liposome, Copper Peptide, and Ume Extract work together to address fine wrinkles and improve skin firmness and elasticity.
Hydration & Barrier Support: Panthenol, Glycerin, Ectoin, and Skin mimic help keep the skin hydrated and support a healthy skin barrier.
Multi-functional: Safe B3 (Niacinamide) offers benefits for barrier function, pore appearance, and skin tone.
Enhancer: Dimethyl Isosorbide (DMI) helps improve the penetration of other active ingredients.

Regarding your specific questions:

Wrinkle-Fill vs. Adenosine Liposome: Both are anti-aging ingredients. Using both could potentially offer complementary benefits, but it depends on their specific mechanisms and concentrations. If you prefer a simpler formula, choosing one and using it at an effective concentration is a reasonable approach. Without specific product data comparing their combined use versus individual use, it's difficult to definitively say if there's a significant advantage of using both.
Copper Peptide Alternatives: Different forms of Copper Peptide (GHK-Cu) are available, such as the 1000ppm solution, the 1:1 powder, and the 10000ppm solution (Copper Tripeptide 10x). Quick-Coll (Copper Lysinate Prolinate) is also a related copper peptide. These offer variations in concentration and form.

Day Serum Review

Your Day Serum formulation is designed to be lighter and suitable for use under makeup, while still providing anti-aging and hydration benefits.

Anti-Aging & Antioxidant: Matrixyl 3000, Ume Extract, Pure-EGCG, and Quick-Coll provide anti-aging effects and antioxidant protection against environmental stressors.
Hydration & Conditioning: Pitera Ex, Water lock, Skin mimic, and Panthenol help maintain skin hydration and improve texture.
Multi-functional: Safe B3 (Niacinamide) contributes to skin health and tone.

Pore Clogging

Based on the ingredients and their typical usage in serum formulations, neither your proposed Night Serum nor Day Serum formulas are likely to clog pores. The ingredients included are generally considered non-comedogenic.

Formula Percentages

Please note the percentage discrepancies in your formulas:

Night Serum: The percentage for Safe B3 is missing. Please add this to ensure the total is 100%.
Day Serum: The total percentage is 101%. You will need to slightly reduce the percentage of one or more ingredients (likely Water) to bring the total to 100%.

Simple Freckle Serum

For a simple serum specifically targeting freckles and skin whitening, Alpha Arbutin is a highly effective ingredient. A basic formula could be:

Water: ~97%
Alpha Arbutin: 2%
Mild Preserved Eco: 1%

This formula focuses on the key active ingredient for whitening in a simple water base with a preservative. Ensure the final pH is between 3.5-6.5 for optimal Alpha Arbutin stability. Different grades of Alpha Arbutin are available, such as the Switzerland grade and various China grades (Enzymatic Synthesis, Crystal Form).