Warming Sensation and Stickiness Issues with Phenoxyethanol and DMAE in Formula

Question

I have a formula that I am working on, and I am encountering two main issues:

Warming Sensation: When I apply the product, I experience a slight warming sensation on my skin.
Stickiness: The final product feels very sticky, especially when using DMAE at a 20% concentration.

Could you please advise on the potential causes of these issues and suggest ways to resolve them?

MySkinRecipes Expert · Accepted Answer

Hello,

Regarding the issues you encountered with the formula:

Warming Sensation: The slight warming sensation you experienced is likely due to sensitivity or mild reaction to Phenoxyethanol.
- Suggested Solution: It is recommended to try reducing the concentration of Phenoxyethanol to just 0.3% in your formula. If the warming sensation persists, you might consider using a different type of preservative.
Stickiness: The primary cause of the sticky feeling is the high concentration of DMAE (20%).
- Suggested Solutions: There are two ways to address this:
  1. Adjust the formula texture by adding an emollient to help make it smoother and reduce stickiness.
  2. Reduce the proportion of DMAE in the formula.

Hope this helps with your next attempt!