Formulation Advice and Troubleshooting

Here are answers to your questions regarding your serum formulation, based on the information provided:

1. Using Warp Cream Maker™ with Cyclomethicone without Heat

• Can you mix Warp Cream Maker™ with Cyclomethicone without heat? No, Warp Cream Maker™ requires heat to properly emulsify with silicones like Cyclomethicone. You need to heat the oil/silicone phase containing Warp Cream Maker™ and Cyclomethicone, then gradually add the water phase while stirring.
• Does not using Silicone Gel Base make the product liquid? Not necessarily. Warp Cream Maker™ itself provides some viscosity when properly emulsified with water. Silicone Gel Base is used to increase viscosity further if a thicker texture is desired. If you don't want to use heat, you can use Silky Serum Base instead, which mixes with water without heat.

2. Separation Issue with Ceramide Complex and Repair Activator™

• The separation you observed (white silicone part and clear water part) indicates that the formula did not emulsify properly or became unstable. This is not due to storage temperature unless it was exposed to extreme heat or cold.
• Following the mixing steps described (adding Ceramide Complex and Repair Activator™ after mixing water/actives with Silky Serum Base) is generally correct for adding heat-sensitive ingredients at the end.
• The issue likely stems from insufficient mixing time or speed when combining the water phase with the Silky Serum Base, or the low concentration of Silky Serum Base in your formula.

3. Dissolving Ceramide Complex in Water First

• Can you dissolve Ceramide Complex in water first before mixing with the serum base? Yes, Ceramide Complex can be dispersed in water or glycols (like Propylene Glycol or Butylene Glycol) with gentle heating (70-80°C) to help dispersion, and then added to the water phase of your formula. This will not cause a reaction like heat generation when mixing with the serum base, nor will it reduce the effectiveness of Ceramide Complex.
• When combining the water phase (containing water, GlucoBright™, Vitamin B3, and potentially dispersed Ceramide Complex) with the Silky Serum Base, it is crucial to add the water phase gradually to the Silky Serum Base while stirring continuously until fully combined and a homogeneous serum texture is formed. Adding the water phase all at once can make it difficult to emulsify properly.

Troubleshooting Your Specific Formula

Your formula uses Silky Serum Base at 10%, which is a low concentration. This makes it harder to achieve a stable emulsion, especially if not mixed thoroughly. The separation you saw is a result of the formula not being fully emulsified.

Solution: Do not discard the separated product. You can try to fix it by adding more Silky Serum Base (approximately 10-20% more) to the separated mixture and stirring continuously until it becomes a homogeneous serum again. Ensure thorough mixing.

Applying Ceramide Complex Directly

Applying Ceramide Complex directly to the skin will not cause harm, but it is wasteful. Ceramide Complex is a concentrated ingredient designed to be incorporated into a formulation at a recommended usage rate (typically 0.1-3%, with 1% recommended, although up to 10% was mentioned in your context). Using it pure does not provide additional benefits and is less effective than using it in a properly formulated product where it can be delivered and absorbed effectively.