Suggested Formula for Oily, Sensitive, Acne-Prone Skin with Dark Spots and Steroid History

Thank you for your interest in formulating your own skincare. It's a great way to understand what goes into your products and tailor them to your specific needs. Given your skin concerns (oily, large pores, dark spots, acne, sensitivity, and steroid history), the focus should be on ingredients that help balance oil, reduce inflammation, fade marks, strengthen the skin barrier, and are gentle.

As the staff mentioned, it's crucial to start with basic formulation principles and always weigh your ingredients in grams, not milliliters, for accuracy.

Here is a suggested approach focusing on key ingredients that can address your concerns:

Key Ingredients to Consider:

• Safe-B3™ (Vitamin B3, Niacinamide): This is an excellent multi-tasking ingredient for oily and acne-prone skin. It helps reduce excess oil (sebum), minimize the appearance of pores, reduce redness and inflammation associated with acne, and fade dark spots/hyperpigmentation. It also helps strengthen the skin barrier, which is vital for sensitive skin and recovery from steroid use. You can use Safe-B3™ at concentrations up to 10% without causing flushing.
• Ceramide Complex (Water/Oil Dispersible Powder) or Ceracare™ Liposome-3: Ceramides are natural lipids found in the skin barrier. Replenishing ceramides is crucial for strengthening compromised skin, reducing sensitivity, and improving hydration, especially after steroid use. Ceramide Complex is a powder that needs specific dispersion methods (in glycol or oil with heat), while Ceracare™ Liposome-3 is a liquid liposomal form that can be dispersed directly in water, which might be easier for a beginner. Both help repair the skin barrier.
• Allantoin: Known for its soothing and anti-irritating properties. It helps reduce redness and discomfort, making it suitable for sensitive and easily irritated skin.
• Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate (Vitamin C SAP): A stable, water-soluble form of Vitamin C that is effective for brightening skin tone and fading dark spots (hyperpigmentation) left by acne or inflammation. It is also an antioxidant.

Formulation Approach:

Start with a simple, gentle base suitable for sensitive skin. You can find basic cream or gel base recipes on the MySkinRecipes website. Then, incorporate the active ingredients step-by-step.

1. Base: Choose a simple cream or gel base formula.
2. Active Ingredients: Add the chosen active ingredients at recommended usage rates (check each product's description for details). For sensitive skin, start with lower concentrations and gradually increase if your skin tolerates it.
   • Safe-B3™: Start with 2-5%, can go up to 10% if tolerated.
   • Ceramide Complex or Ceracare™ Liposome-3: Recommended usage is often around 1-3%.
   • Allantoin: Recommended usage is 0.5% (due to water solubility limitations at room temp).
   • Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate (Vitamin C SAP): Recommended usage is 3%, can go up to 10%.
3. Preservation: Ensure your formula includes a suitable preservative system to prevent microbial growth.
4. pH Adjustment: Check and adjust the final pH of your product to be skin-compatible (typically between 4.5-6.0), although Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate works best at pH 7-9, which can be a challenge in a multi-ingredient formula. Niacinamide is stable between pH 4-7. You might need to prioritize based on which ingredient's efficacy is most important or consider using different products for different concerns.

Important Considerations:

• Patch Testing: Always perform a patch test on a small area of skin before applying a new formula to your entire face, especially with a history of sensitivity and steroid use.
• Steroid Addiction Recovery: Be patient. Healing skin from steroid addiction takes time. Focus on strengthening the skin barrier with ingredients like Ceramides and soothing ingredients like Allantoin. Avoid harsh exfoliants or irritating ingredients.
• Weighing: As the staff emphasized, use a precise scale to weigh all ingredients in grams for accurate formulation.

By combining ingredients like Safe-B3™, Ceramides, Allantoin, and Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate in a gentle base, you can create a customized product that addresses your multiple skin concerns. Remember to refer to the detailed descriptions of each ingredient on the website for specific mixing instructions and recommended usage rates.

Good luck with your formulation journey!