-
Oil soluble / low pH compatible ingredients beneficial for acneic skin?
Working on a body lotion with 10% L-Lactic Acid, wondering what ingredients might make it better for acneic skin?
Tea tree oil: Some evidence of anti acne activity, although scent not to everyone’s liking, possible sensitization issues.
Salicylic Acid: OTC acne drug, IMO not very effective, but could be used at more than 2% if not making drug claims possibly improving its efficacy.
“SERUM reg” Argan oil, Serenoa Serrulata fruit extract, sesame seed oil. Regulates the production of sebum to a normal level by inhibiting the 5α-reductase. Expensive, not much evidence?
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate: Oil solluble form of Vitamin C, friggin expensive. Paula’s choice uses it (at a low level prob) in their
Retinol: Various forms. Needs to be stabilized or encapsulated (expensive)
Alpha Bisabolol?
Boswellia serrata?
Niacinamide: Water soluble but seems to do ok with low pH. Long term preventative action.
-
9 Replies
-
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate is a synonym for Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate.
A very popular brand in the country where I live (Uncover by Jetske Ultee) uses 5% of it in their moisturizers (+ 5% niacinamide), packed in an airless pump. They sell it for 50 euros (50 ml), which is about 56 dollars (USD). Amazing, right? It’s one of the best brands that I know (along with Paula’s Choice).This is a LOI of their normal to oily skin moisturizer (which is also 56 USD for 50 ml):
Aqua, Cyclopentasiloxane, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Propylheptyl Caprylate, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Sodium PCA, PEG-75 Stearate, Caprylyl Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Tocopherol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Evodia Rutaecarpa Fruit Extract, Ergothioneine, Ceteth-20, Steareth-20, p-Anisic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Lactic Acid -
Interesting, even at 5% the material cost of TA shouldn’t be more than $10, so quite overpriced at $56. How is cyclopentasiloxane emulsified into the formula do you think?
-
Well, compared to the products of Paula’s Choice that contain it, it’s not even that bad. Take PC’s Resist Intensive Wrinkel Repair serum for instance, the Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate is well below the 1% line and 1 oz (30 ml) costs $42.
What I like about Uncover is that they’re transparant about how much % of actives their products contain. Plus they don’t sell nonsense like eye creams or special anti wrinkle products etc. Plus the sunscreens are non-profit (Suncover).
About the cyclo D5. It must be ≥5%. The 1% line must be between glyceryl stearate and the dipotassium glycyrrhizate. So then it’s
≥1% GMS (± 3%?)
≤1% PEG-75 Stearate
≤1% Ceteth-20
≤1% Steareth-20
along with cetyl (±2%) and cetearyl (≤1%) alcohol as co-emulsifiers emulsifying the cyclo D5, the propylheptyl caprylate (±2-3%) in the oil phase.
(I don’t know how long and high cyclo D5 can be heated before too much evaporizes. It’s too much to put in the cool down phase I think.) -
Dipotassium glycyrrhizate could also be used as anti-acne active, it’s said to have sebum regulating properties. I like to use it as skin soothing active. It can be used in low pH products (Paula’s Choice uses it in pH 3.2 AHA/BHA exfoliants).
Edit: btw I wouldn’t use niacinamide at a too low pH because it might hydrolyze to niacin (skin irritant) over time.
-
Thanks Doreen for the detailed analysis!
I agree that posting percentages is good, although I’d like to see 3rd party pr batch verification and stability data - a lot of (at least smaller) brands lie about expensive actives, and I’ve seen reports of TA being unstable.
Also seen Acne.org use Glycyrrhizate! A good active to test. Got any tips on stabilizing Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate btw? Guess Tocopherol?
-
You’re welcome!
I indeed combined ascorbyl tetraisopalmitate with tocopherol, as they work synergistically against oxidation.
I’ve been searching in supplier’s documents, but couldn’t really find much regarding stability (recommended pH etc), only that it’s heat stable (I put it in the cool down phase however to be on te safe side).
I used it in moisturizers with a pH between 5 and 6 and put it in airless dispensers.
I really prefer suppliers who give extensive information about their products, like Evonik and Dr. Straetmans for example!What did you read in the reports about the instability?
Edit: I almost forgot. My ascorbyl tetraisopalmitate was from Nikkol. (Nikkol VC-IP) I have a few documents I’ll share here, maybe these can be helpful somehow.
-
@Perry
I tried to attach documents here (and below) but it doesn’t work (file sizes are not too large or anything).
Could you help me with this? Thanks in advance! -
@Microformulation
Wow, thanks a lot!
Log in to reply.