Skincare Formula Review: Serum and Moisturizer

Asked by: fewruko On: December 17, 2014 Product Type: Cosmetics

Question

Regarding the topic "Review skincare formulas for me", I have two formulas:

Serum Formula:

  • Double Hyaluronic Liquid 0.1%
  • Other ingredients (not specified in the answer, but implied)

Moisture Formula:

  • Vitamin B5 5%
  • Natto Gum 5%
  • DMAE 4%
  • Other ingredients (not specified in the answer, but implied), intended to use Pro Polymer as thickener.

My skin type is combination, leaning dry.

I would like to ask for a review of these formulas, specifically regarding:

  1. Are both formulas suitable for mixing and use?
  2. What will the viscosity of the serum be with only Double Hyaluronic Liquid 0.1%?
  3. For the moisture formula, which thickener/carrier is more suitable between Light Cream Maker and Pro Polymer? How do they function in distributing ingredients?
  4. Are the percentages of Vitamin B5 (5%) and Natto Gum (5%) appropriate? What are the potential issues?
  5. Is DMAE 4% suitable? Does the form (liquid vs. powder) matter, and what are the considerations regarding pH adjustment?

Answer

Subject: Re: Skincare Formula Review

Thank you for sharing your skincare formulas and questions.

Regarding the suitability of your formulas:

  • Both formulas are generally suitable for mixing and use.

Regarding the serum viscosity:

  • Your serum formula will likely be quite watery with only 0.1% hyaluronic acid.
  • To achieve a less watery and not overly thick texture, you will need to add Pro Polymer. Hyaluronic acid alone at this percentage is not sufficient for significant thickening.

Regarding the moisture formula thickeners/carriers (Light Cream Maker vs. Pro Polymer):

  • In a formula without oil like your moisture formula, Pro Polymer is suitable for creating a gel texture.
  • Both thickeners/emulsifiers can help with the distribution of ingredients in the formula, but their primary function is texture creation and stabilization. They don't necessarily "carry" substances into the skin in the sense of enhancing penetration compared to active delivery systems.
  • Since your formula contains no oil, Pro Polymer is the appropriate choice for creating a gel. Light Cream Maker is typically used in oil-in-water emulsions to create cream or lotion textures, requiring an oil phase.
  • Note on Pro Polymer percentage: Using 4% Pro Polymer might result in a very thick, possibly pudding-like texture, rather than a light gel. You might want to test with a lower percentage first if you prefer a lighter gel.

Regarding specific ingredient percentages and potential issues:

  • Vitamin B5 (5%) and Natto Gum (5%): As noted in previous replies, these percentages are quite high, especially for combination skin leaning dry. They may result in a heavy, oily, or sticky feeling on the skin. It is recommended to start with lower percentages (e.g., 1-2% for each) and increase if needed, as it's easier to add more than to fix an overly sticky formula.
  • DMAE (4%): The suitability of 4% DMAE depends on the form you are using.
    • If using liquid DMAE, a concentration of at least 10% is generally recommended for efficacy.
    • If using powder DMAE, 4% can be used, but it is highly acidic and will require careful pH adjustment of the final formula to be skin-compatible (typically pH 5.0-6.0). For beginners, using the liquid form at 10% is often simpler as it requires less pH adjustment effort.

Considering your combination skin leaning dry, paying attention to the potential stickiness from high percentages of Vitamin B5 and Natto Gum is important for user comfort.

I hope this detailed feedback helps you refine your formulas!

Tags

Combination Skin Formulation Adjustment Ingredient Suitability Texture Viscosity