Cosmetic Formulation Questions

Question 1: Serum/Watery Lotion with Oil-Soluble Ingredients

You want to create a serum or watery lotion (น้ำตบ) that contains oil-soluble ingredients without becoming a biphase product. You specifically mentioned including Pure Baicalin and Gamma Oryzanol.

• Pure Baicalin: Based on the product information, Pure-Baicalin™ is water-soluble at a pH of around 6.5-7.2. This means it can be directly incorporated into the water phase of your serum or watery lotion formulation.
• Gamma Oryzanol: There are two forms available:
  • Pure-Oryzanol™ is oil-soluble. To include this in a water-based product like a serum or watery lotion without separation (biphase), you would need to use a suitable solubilizer. Solubilizers help disperse oil-soluble ingredients evenly within a water base. The product description for Pure-Oryzanol™ suggests using LipidSoft™ Solve to help dissolve it in oil, but for incorporating it into a water phase, a solubilizer designed for oil-in-water systems would be needed.
  • Oryzanol-Active™ is a water-soluble form of gamma Oryzanol. If you prefer a simpler formulation without needing a solubilizer for Oryzanol, you could use Oryzanol-Active™ as it dissolves directly in water.

To achieve a stable, non-biphase serum or watery lotion containing oil-soluble ingredients, you generally need to use a solubilizer or a very low concentration of the oil phase with a suitable emulsifier that can create a microemulsion or a very fine dispersion that appears clear or translucent. Using a water-soluble version of an ingredient, like Oryzanol-Active™, is the easiest way to avoid the need for solubilizers or emulsifiers for that specific ingredient.

Question 2: Replacement for Discontinued Quercetin

You asked for a replacement for the discontinued Hi-Quercetin®.

Hi-Quercetin® was an onion extract containing 3% Quercetin and was water-soluble. While Hi-Quercetin® is no longer available, Pure-Quercetin™ is available.

• Pure-Quercetin™ is a high-purity powder (98% Quercetin). Unlike Hi-Quercetin®, Pure-Quercetin™ is not directly water-soluble. It needs to be dissolved in a solvent like glycol before being added to your formulation.

Therefore, Pure-Quercetin™ can be used as a replacement, offering a much higher concentration of the active ingredient. However, you will need to adjust your mixing method to dissolve the powder in a suitable glycol before incorporating it into your formula.

Question 3: Beta Sitosterol Availability and Phytosterol

You inquired about the availability of Beta sitosterol and mentioned you prefer not to use Phytosterol.

Pure-Phytosterols™ is currently available. This product is a powder extracted from soybeans and contains a mix of plant sterols, including Beta sitosterol (minimum 40%), Campesterol, Stigmasterol, and Brassicasterol. It is oil-soluble.

While a pure Beta sitosterol product may not be currently available, Pure-Phytosterols™ does provide Beta sitosterol along with other beneficial plant sterols. It functions to restore skin structure and barrier, increase elasticity, and stimulate collagen and hyaluronic acid production. It is typically used in oil phases of lotions, creams, and lip balms.

Information regarding the future availability of a pure Beta sitosterol product is not available.

Question 4: Difference Between Pure Melatonin and Melatonin Forte

You asked about the difference between Pure Melatonin and Melatonin Forte, their usage percentages, and solubility.

• Pure-Melatonin™: This is the pure form of Melatonin, a white powder. It is soluble in some oils and certain glycols (like ethoxydiglycol, 1,3-Propanediol). The recommended usage rate is 0.1-3%. It is sensitive to air and should be protected from continuous air exposure in the final product packaging.
• Melatonin Forte™: This is a pre-solubilized liquid form containing at least 10% Melatonin. It is a clear, oily, yellow liquid that can be dispersed in oil and can dissolve in water (likely due to the solubilizing agent used in the preparation, such as PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil as indicated in the INCI). The recommended usage rate is 1% (maximum). Like Pure-Melatonin™, it is sensitive to air and requires appropriate packaging.

The key differences lie in their form, concentration, and solubility characteristics. Pure-Melatonin™ is the concentrated powder requiring dissolution in specific solvents, allowing for a higher potential maximum usage rate (up to 3%). Melatonin Forte™ is a lower concentration (minimum 10% active) liquid that is easier to incorporate into formulations, including water-based ones, but has a lower recommended maximum usage rate (1% of the liquid product, which corresponds to less than 1% active Melatonin in the final formula).

Question 5: Clarifying Pure Apigenin Solubility

You found the solubility information for Pure Apigenin confusing.

Based on the detailed product description for Pure-Apigenin™, the pure powder form is insoluble in water. It is soluble in organic solvents like ethanol and many glycols.

The instruction to "Mix in the water part" in the description seems to refer to incorporating it into a water-based formula, but this requires the presence of an emulsifier or solubilizer. The description explicitly states that the formula must be a cream or lotion with a cemented emulsifier because Apigenin is highly soluble in emulsifiers, and it cannot be used in gel or purely water-based formulations without such agents.

Therefore, to use Pure-Apigenin™ in a serum or watery lotion, you would need to dissolve it in a suitable glycol or ethanol first, or use a solubilizer to incorporate it into the water phase, as the pure powder will not dissolve directly in water.