Advice needed on ingredients for facial oil for hypersensitive skin

Donmattus

Hi, I thought I'd ask for some advice. I don't want to make my own moisturiser but I have to because my face seems to be reactive/allergic to everything I've tried. I have/had seborrheic dermatitis and I found dissolving climbazole in capric/caprylic triglycerides worked. I don't need to use that now but my face just becomes red when I use anything other than CCT oil so I have continued to use that as a moisturiser. It is fine but I worry that it isn't good long term when I read things lime this  http://www.paulaschoice.com/expert-advice/skincare-advice/dry-skin/what-your-moisturizer-must-contain.html as I am not getting many ingredients into my skin. I have been looking around for some oil soluble ingredients that would be ok for very sensitive skin that I could slowly add one at a time to see how my skin reacts. I wondered what people on here thought might be good to try?
I tried this https://www.essentially-yours.co.uk/product/sensitive-skin-allergies/face-oil-for-sensitive-skin-allergies/ and I tried vitamin d and squalane in CCT but they were no good! 

Any suggestions much appreciated

Belassi

It would be useful if you could list the things that you have tried that cause problems for you.

Perry

I wouldn't put too much faith in an article that claims there are things that "must be included" in a facial cream.  

First, your face doesn't "need" anything. If you go your entire life without putting cream on your face, that would be perfectly fine.  It might not look & feel the way you want but there is no health reason for normal skin to require any cream.  (Of course if you have a condition like eczema or psoriasis this wouldn't apply)

If you like the way your face looks and feels with the product you are using, then keep using it.  You don't need anything else. 

Donmattus

All preservatives from lotion crafter and all those from dermosoft. The only preservative that I didn't react to was leucidal SF but as it isn't good with mould I tried to find something to make up for that but couldn't. So I have eliminated water as an ingredient, which is why I am focussing on oil. I was also on here before and someone said that it is the oil that does the work so I assume it is ok? 

I have tried jojoba but that aggravated the seborrheic dermatitis  (fatty acids of carbon chains 12 to 24 feed the problem so I have tried to focus on ingredients outside that range, which is limiting). I tried tea tree but no good either. The oil in the link I posted had grapeseed and patchouli but that wasn't good after a couple of uses. 

Belassi

You've tried aloe vera? It is an excellent moisturiser. It should be possible to design a moisturiser without too much trouble once you have found appropriate botanicals to add. CCT + emulsifier + botanicals should not irritate given that you already found CCT to be non-irritating. For a preservative, I would have thought parabens the obvious choice, it has a good reputation for not being irritating or sensitising. Something like CCT + aloe vera + calendula + centella asiatica + (modern type) emulsifier + parabens (and water of course Q/S)

Bobzchemist

The gold standard for TEWL reduction is actually petrolatum, if I recall correctly. Try it at 100% as a night-time product.

Donmattus

Thanks for the advice. Petrolatum irritates my skin. Very quickly it becomes red and inflamed. 

I have tried parabens and they too irritate my skin so I have to avoid those. 

I have tried aloe vera and it is fine if it is pure. I found I reacted badly to some and came to the conclusion it must have had potassium sorbate in it - which is one of the worst for me - I react in seconds like severe sunburn. 

I was thinking of a CCT based formulation simply because I know this doesn't irritate. I have read things such as amino acids or ceramides may be good for skin and are oil soluble?  Sea whip extract some people say might be good but I can't get hold of it http://www.lipochemicals.com/system/files/brochures/GORGONIAN_SS_SINGLES_2014.pdf

Bobzchemist

Have you tried Sucragel CF?

And also, take marketing claims with a boatload of salt...

Doreen

Petrolatum and parabens irritate your skin? Weird.
Potassium sorbate has vasodilating properties, I experience the same.
I agree with Perry, there are no essential substances that your skin can't do without.
If your skin reacts good to CCT, there is nothing wrong with using only that. I think it's even better than submitting your skin to testing all kinds of supposedly essential ingredients.
I use allantoin and bisabolol for their supposed calming effects, but to be honest? I don't notice a difference if I add those or if I don't.

Bobzchemist

Now I'm curious if the irritation is coming from the occlusivity or from issues with the ingredients themselves- have you tried lanolin, jojoba oil or silicones?

Donmattus

Thanks Doreen and Perry - that sounds like good advice.

Bob - to be honest I don't know what is causing the irritation. A number of dermatologists don't think there is a problem and then prescribe petroleum only for this to make things worse! Which is why I've taken things into my own hands. What I know is this - some ingredients definitely cause irritation. Some redness. Some itchiness. Some a strange pain in the skin like it is really sore. But if I don't use anything my skin itches. Dermatologists said it was seborrheic dermatitis but I have treated it for that and the last one I saw said I didn't have that anymore. When I use CCT it helps soothe and calm the itching and redness. The problem is it makes me look greasy (unless I don't put much on and then I don't get the benefit), it runs and can give me red eyes, or it doesn't always soothe the itching. So I'm looking for other ingredients! I haven't tried sucragel, I'll look into it, thanks 

Donmattus

I have tried silicones. I tried a pure silicone and it was ok but I didn't really feel any benefit in terms of improving my symptoms. I guess I could try a little to thicken the CCT? There are so many out there too, which do you think I should try?

I did try jojoba and I remember it being good for a short while but after a few days y skin was itchier. That was when I was suffering from seb derm so I figured it irritated that? 

I haven't tried lanolin specifically. Only in products I've tried so wouldn't know what effect it would have on its own

Bobzchemist

I think that it might be good to try thickening CCT with 

https://www.makingcosmetics.com/Iso-Dimethicone-Copolymer_p_96.html 

or

https://www.makingcosmetics.com/Silicone-Gel_p_1108.html

Belassi

OK this is from the boundary ... try giving up dairy products for two weeks.

Donmattus

Thanks Bob - I'll try one and see how it goes. Would sucragel be better for skin than CCT alone as it has glycerine in it?

Belassi - what makes you think it could be dairy? I'm willing to try anything so I'll give it a go, I just wondered why you thought that?

Belassi

I discovered recently that dairy can easily cause inflammatory reactions throughout the whole body. I discovered the link accidentally when I was researching why my finger joints were becoming inflamed and arthritic. It turned out - after much experimenting with stopping various foods - that I am intolerant to casein-A which is from Holstein cows, bred for high output. When I tested myself by eating 2oz of cheese with high casein, I even began vomiting. Casein-A intolerance also causes itching, which was the reason I suggested it. What have you got to lose? Butter and cream do not contain casein, by the way. After I stopped consuming casein A, my fingers returned to normal, I slept better, my skin health improved.

ganeshd

I would recommend a simple cream/lotion formula with humectants (hyaluronic acid, ceramide, squalene, glycerin) combined with vitamin C & E in a lecithin based emulsion. 

Doreen

I forgot to mention, now that I read Bob's reply: occlusivity indeed can cause irritation, I also experience this now and then. A brand here called Eucerin® has products for ultrasensitive skin.

INCI for normal-mixed skin (they state that sensitivity is a skin disorder, not a skin type):

• Water
• Squalane
• Glycerine
• Pentylene Glycol
• Methylpropanediol  
• Arginine HCL  
• Cetearyl Alcohol 
• 4-t-Butylcyclohexanol (Trans-Isomer)
• Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer 
• Sodium Carbomer 
• Caprylyl Glycol

INCI for dry skin:

• Water
• Glycerine
• Butyrospermum Parkii Butter 
• Panthenol
• Cetyl Palmitate
• Methyl Palmitate 
• Olus Oil 
• Pentylene Glycol  
• Metylpropanediol  
• Sodium Polyacrylate  
• Arginine HCL 
• 4-t-Butylcyclohexanol (Trans-Isomer)
• Caprylyl Glycol 

As you can see no classic emulsifiers, it has a lot of 0% claims, 0% emulsifier as well as 0% preservative (only some polyols). I think the % of glycerin is quite high, because it is rather sticky (I tried the one for dry skin). It comes in a special airless dispenser with extra sealing around the opening to prevent contamination and the recommended shelf life is short (6 months).
The '4-t-butylcyclohexanol' is a patented ingredient (Symsitive®), for marketing purposes only I guess.
There is also an anti-redness product, similar to above, it has licorice root extract (Glycyrrhiza Inflata) added to it. Although it has the extract, not a salt like potassium glycyrrhizate, the colour is white. @Belassi, do you know how that is possible?

Maybe you can try emulate something likewise?
From a microbiological point of view I don't think it is possible to create this at home, not even with a special dispenser. I would definitely add extra preservatives.

Belassi

Although it has the extract, not a salt like potassium glycyrrhizate, the colour is white. @Belassi, do you know how that is possible?
Not really, no. The 12% extract is a yellow-brown powder and the (very dilute) extracts sold by hobby suppliers are usually pale yellow. You only get white powder with the pure forms eg. the acid (which is only 0.2% soluble in water) or the potassium salt.

Donmattus

Thanks everyone for the advice.

Belassi- that is very interesting and I have always wondered about diet. I'll give it a go.

Doreen - thanks for the info. I know eucerin - I use their anti dandruff shampoo and I have tried some of their products before but they didn't work. What are those ones you mention called? I wouldn't try making something like that as it is too complicated for me!

tanelise

I agree with @Belassi - skip the dairy for a bit. That’s what I tell my acneic clients. I realize you dnt have acne but dairy does negative affect the skin. Also you might wanna try the less is more approach for a bit and see if that helps. Very aggravating I’m sure.