Serum Formulation Review for Wrinkle Reduction

Thank you for sharing your serum formulation for wrinkle reduction. It contains several excellent active ingredients known for their anti-aging and skin-benefiting properties.

Let's review the ingredients and percentages:

• WATER 50%: This is the base of your serum.
• DMAE (SkinTight MD™) Liquid 5%: DMAE is great for skin firmness and reducing wrinkles. However, at 5%, it might cause a sticky feeling or irritation for some skin types. The recommended usage rate is often around 3% for better comfort while still being effective.
• L-Carnitine 3%: This is within the recommended range and helps with skin turnover, moisture, and oil control.
• Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate (Pitera) 20%: A good concentration for revitalizing the skin, although very high amounts could feel slightly greasy.
• Safe-B3™ 5%: An excellent multi-functional ingredient for wrinkles, tone, barrier, and oiliness. 5% is a standard effective concentration.
• Silicone Blend (Heavy & Silky) 5%: Provides a smooth feel and aids spreadability.
• Warp Cream Maker™ 4%: This is a water-in-oil emulsifier, indicating your serum is likely a W/O emulsion. 4% is within the recommended range.
• Mild Preserved Eco™ 1%: This acts as your preservative. 1% is on the lower side of the recommended range (1-1.5%) for general cosmetics, but may be sufficient depending on the formula and usage.
• Activated Resorcinol 1%: A potent skin brightening agent. 1% is the maximum recommended for leave-on products. It's crucial to note that Activated Resorcinol can cause irritation at higher concentrations and requires specific conditions for stability.

Your current total percentage is 94%, leaving 6% for additional water or other components.

Recommendations for Improvement:

1. Reduce Potential Irritation and Improve Texture: Consider reducing DMAE (SkinTight MD™) Liquid from 5% to 3%. This is the recommended usage rate for optimal efficacy with less risk of tackiness or irritation, especially when combined with other actives.

2. Enhance Stability and Prevent Discoloration: Activated Resorcinol is prone to discoloration and benefits from stabilizers. It is highly recommended to add:

   • Disodium EDTA at 0.2% to chelate metal ions.
   • ActiveProtec™ OX at 0.6% (or 0.1-1.0%) as an antioxidant.

3. Improve Emulsion Stability: For water-in-oil emulsions using Warp Cream Maker™, adding Magnesium Sulfate at 1% is recommended to improve stability and prevent separation.

4. Add Anti-Irritant: Given the presence of DMAE and Activated Resorcinol at effective concentrations, adding an anti-irritant like Natural Bisabolol at 0.5-1% (e.g., 1%) is highly recommended to soothe the skin and reduce the potential for irritation.

Recommended pH Level:

The optimal pH range for the key active ingredients in your formula is between 4.5 and 5.5. This range ensures the best efficacy and stability for Activated Resorcinol, Safe-B3, and L-Carnitine, and is also well-tolerated by the skin.

Revised Formula Suggestion (100g total):

Based on the recommendations, here is a suggested revised formula:

• WATER: 55.2%
• DMAE (SkinTight MD™) Liquid: 3%
• L-Carnitine: 3%
• Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate (Pitera): 20%
• Safe-B3™: 5%
• Silicone Blend (Heavy & Silky): 5%
• Warp Cream Maker™: 4%
• Mild Preserved Eco™: 1%
• Activated Resorcinol: 1%
• Disodium EDTA: 0.2%
• ActiveProtec™ OX: 0.6%
• Natural Bisabolol: 1.0%
• Magnesium Sulfate: 1.0%

Total: 100.0%

Mixing Notes:

Follow the standard procedure for creating a water-in-oil emulsion using Warp Cream Maker™. Dissolve water-soluble ingredients (Water, Disodium EDTA, Magnesium Sulfate, L-Carnitine, Safe-B3, Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate, Mild Preserved Eco) in the water phase. Dissolve oil-soluble ingredients (Activated Resorcinol) in the oil/silicone phase (Silicone Blend) along with Warp Cream Maker™ and ActiveProtec™ OX. Gradually add the water phase to the oil/silicone phase while blending. Add heat-sensitive ingredients like DMAE and Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate when the mixture is below 40°C. Adjust the final pH to 4.5-5.5.

Remember to store the finished product in an opaque container to protect Activated Resorcinol from light.