Serum Formulation Issue: Undissolved Pro Polymer

Hello,

Regarding the issue you encountered with undissolved gel-like lumps in your serum formulation, the problem likely stems from adding the Pro Polymer after the mixture had already started to gel, especially when you added more later. Pro Polymer requires sufficient water to properly hydrate and form a smooth gel. When added to an already thickened base with limited free water, it struggles to absorb water evenly, leading to the formation of stubborn lumps or "gel blobs" as you described.

Here's a breakdown based on your process and the staff's advice:

Why the Lumps Occurred

• Adding Pro Polymer Later: Pro Polymer is best dispersed in the main water phase at the beginning of the formulation process. Adding it to a mixture that has already begun to thicken makes it difficult for the powder particles to fully hydrate and disperse, resulting in clumps.
• Adding More Pro Polymer: Adding a second batch of Pro Polymer to an already gelled serum further exacerbates the problem for the same reason – insufficient free water for proper hydration.

Solutions for Your Current Batch

• Mechanical Blending: As the staff suggested, using a mechanical blender (like a small immersion blender) can help break up the lumps and incorporate them into the serum. Manual stirring might not provide enough shear force.
• Remove Lumps: If blending isn't an option or doesn't fully resolve the issue, you can carefully strain or pick out the undissolved gel lumps. This will not significantly affect the serum's overall performance, although the texture may be slightly less uniform.

How to Avoid Lumps in Future Formulations

To prevent this issue in your next batch, follow one of these methods:

1. Hydrate Pro Polymer First: Disperse the total amount of Pro Polymer needed for your desired final viscosity into the main water portion of your formula at the very beginning. Stir or blend until a smooth, lump-free gel is formed. Allow sufficient time for full hydration (sometimes leaving it overnight helps). Once the gel base is ready, then incorporate your other water-soluble ingredients (like Repair Activator, Copper Peptide, Pep®-Coll, Argireline, Adenosine, Azelaic Acid, Allantoin) and finally the oil phase ingredients (MSH White, Ethoxydiglycol, LipidSoft Lite).
2. Reserve Water for Adjustment: If you anticipate needing to adjust viscosity later, set aside a small portion of the total water needed for the formula (e.g., 10-20%). Prepare the initial gel base with the remaining water and the planned amount of Pro Polymer. If you need to thicken further after adding other ingredients, mix the additional Pro Polymer with the reserved water separately to form a concentrated gel, and then slowly incorporate this into your main batch while stirring vigorously.

Regarding the Odor

Many raw cosmetic ingredients have characteristic odors. The combination of various active ingredients in your formula can result in a less-than-pleasant smell. To address this, you can add a cosmetic-grade fragrance to your serum. Alternatively, if you prefer not to use fragrance, you might need to adjust your formula by selecting ingredients that have less noticeable inherent odors.

By adjusting your mixing process, you should be able to achieve a smooth, lump-free serum in your future attempts.