Home Cosmetic Science Talk Formulating Ingredients that make your face shine less

  • Ingredients that make your face shine less

    Posted by DrJekyll on July 6, 2021 at 6:05 pm

    Good day all!

    Maybe some of you can help me shed some light on what options there are to make a day cream less shiny. I had a day cream for men (Paula’s choice) that does this. I think it’s not entirely uncommon for a day cream (especially for men) to have an ingredient included that mattifies the skin? I am interested in making a day cream for a dry skin. And I do like it to include oils and butters if possible btw.

    Are there any way’s, strategies or ingredients that could aid me in achieving my goal?

    I am very curious…
    Thanks :)

    DrJekyll replied 3 years, 3 months ago 10 Members · 24 Replies
  • 24 Replies
  • Graillotion

    Member
    July 6, 2021 at 7:42 pm

    I have worked through this recently…..
    It would help if you listed the INCI of said product.

  • Graillotion

    Member
    July 6, 2021 at 7:46 pm

    Firstly…I take all my oils I want to include…and apply them neat….they simply have a huge range of shininess.  I like Meadowfoam…but it is pretty shiny…so sometimes I can’t use it depending on the application.

    Some of the fatty alcohols are said to be more mattifying. 

    Also some ingredients like Polymethylsilsesquioxane can help.

    For my latest project…I think the addition of crosspolymers had the most profound influence on reducing some of the shine.

    For me… Illipe is the least shiny of the butters I keep on hand.

    Hope that helps.

  • monicakretschmers

    Member
    July 7, 2021 at 12:14 am

    Greensil from Greentech. It’s a sílica obtained from bamboo. 

  • Graillotion

    Member
    July 7, 2021 at 1:15 am

    Greensil from Greentech. It’s a sílica obtained from bamboo. 

    Will any Silica do this?

    I have some non-bamboo sourced silica from an experiment gone awry (aerosil 200).

    What is a typical inclusion rate on this type of ingredient?

  • suswang8

    Member
    July 7, 2021 at 1:43 am
    I think we might be attempting to answer two separate questions/goals:
    -1-  Which ingredients/actives help mattify the skin?
    -2-  How can I make the finish of my emulsion less shiny?
    Regarding #2, I believe Montanov 202 as an emulsifier is known for producing a more matte finish vs most emulsifiers, and I think @Graillotion can offer advice about this.  Additionally, I agree that many oils are less shiny than others, and you will need to experiment with which ones work best for you, given other considerations you are dealing with, such as price.  I can only say from experience that plum kernel oil is not very shiny, but I have only tried about 3-4 other oils (e.g., almond) as reference points.
  • Graillotion

    Member
    July 7, 2021 at 1:59 am

    My theory has always been….the less shine you put into a formula…the less shine you have to work on getting rid of at the end of the formula… Simply meaning if I have two or three ingredients that can essentially do the same thing…I apply them neat…and choose the least shiny.  Then when tweaking the finished product…only minimal inputs are required for corrections.

    As far as M 202 goes…I have read that it is supposed to make a more matte emulsion, but I have hundreds of samples that would disagree.  I love M 202…just sometimes the marketing blurbs are not always something you can stake your life on.  Maybe a more accurate description might read…does not add shine or gloss (it is very glossy in the jar…which I like…which also does not translate on how it will ultimately play out on the skin).  It is good for creating very lite weight products, and a big part of why I use it.

    My progression as a formulator timeline looks something like this….

    1) Starts with 165 cuz it is bulletproof.

    2) Starts to think I am too big for my britches….so tries every  emulsifier known to man…. ULP and UPS beat a path to my rainforest door.

    3)  Begin to realize how amazing and bullet proof 165 was. :) 

    4)  Figure out how to blend 165 with some of the emulsifiers I found while chasing all those rabbits, into amazing but stable results.

    5) Thank God I have a chemist buddy with the patience of Job, who can help me salvage (put together in a stable manner) any combination my mind can conjure.

  • RedCoast

    Member
    July 7, 2021 at 3:29 am
    In my experience, silicones are typically better to reduce shine than using natural oils. To experiment, you should use a low oil phase and go from there.
    One ingredient that recently caught my eye, but I haven’t tried it yet, was TEGO FEEL C 10… this is cellulose, so this would be fine for the “natural” market.
  • jemolian

    Member
    July 7, 2021 at 3:32 am

    I’d say these 2 are the most important questions regarding to the main question since the answer can be very different. 

    -1-  Which ingredients/actives help mattify the skin?
    -2-  How can I make the finish of my emulsion less shiny?

    Most of the time the choice of accompanying materials can change the looks of the formulation. 

    When i mixed Hydrogenated Polyisobutene + Tridecyl Trimellitate + M 202 + Carbomer 980, it turned out slightly matte and lotiony. 

    When i mixed Hydrogenated Polyisobutene + Coco-Caprylate/Caprate + M 202 + Sepinov EMT 10, it turned out glossier and slightly firmer. 

    I started with E-Wax, then 165, then the M series & others.  :'(

  • DrJekyll

    Member
    July 7, 2021 at 9:36 am

    Thanks, that’s a lot of info already :)

    So I could try:
    Illipe butter
    fatty alcohols (some of them)
    Greensil from Greentech
    Montanov 202 emulsifier

    And basically trying to start out with the least shiney of oils and butters… Sounds logical. Good point. That needs some experimenting!

    I could imagine a certain percentage of a drying oil could help/aid in achieving a matt finish too? It makes the skin feel stiffly though, which I find less preferable myself (I suspect sunflower oil of doing this).

    I did understand several kinds of starch are used to help with a mattifing effect also but there are also reviews of ppl. saying that it started to form flakes on their skin after rubbing accidently.. Somehow I think this might be a thing..

    Is Tego Feel the same as Tegomuls? I live in Europe. I did read about Tegomuls resulting in a more matt finish…

  • DrJekyll

    Member
    July 7, 2021 at 10:05 am

    INCI of the cream that (I think) is mattifying…

    There are quite a bit of “texture enhancing” ingredients in it. I am wondering if a mattifying ingredient might be listed as “texture enhancing”?

    Or maybe the absence of oils and butters? Make this day cream less shiney? (or the Silicia)?



    Paula’s Choice PC4Men Day Cream SPF 30

    Aqua, Homosalate (7%, sunscreen agent)
    Benzophenone-3 (Oxybenzone, 4%, sunscreen agent)
    Butylene Glycol (hydration)
    Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane (Avobenzone, 3%, sunscreen agent)
    Silica (texture-enhancing)
    Octocrylene (2%, sunscreen agent)
    Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract (antioxidant)
    Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder (hydration)
    Ascorbyl Palmitate (vitamin C/antioxidant)
    Phospholipids (skin-restoring)
    Superoxide Dismutase (antioxidant)
    enisonedA (skin-restoring)
    Tocopherol (vitamin E/antioxidant)
    Bisabolol (skin-soothing)
    Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract (antioxidant/skin-soothing)
    Colloidal Oatmeal (skin-soothing)
    Panthenol (skin replenishing)
    Ginkgo Biloba (Ginkgo) Leaf Extract (antioxidant)
    xilaS Alba (Willow) Bark Extract (skin-soothing)
    Cetyl Dimethicone (hydration/texture-enhancing)
    Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate (texture-enhancing)
    Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer (texture-enhancing)
    Titanium Dioxide (texture-enhancing)
    Sorbic Acid (preservative)
    Sodium Hydroxide (pH balancing)
    Steareth-21 (texture-enhancing), Steareth-2 (texture-enhancing)
    Polysorbate 20 (texture-enhancing)
    Disodium EDTA (stabilizer)
    Phenoxyethanol (preservative)

  • Bill_Toge

    Member
    July 7, 2021 at 5:08 pm

    the most likely candidates are the silica (of which there are many different grades) and the aluminum starch octenylsuccinate, both of which give a relatively dry, powdery finish

  • DrJekyll

    Member
    July 8, 2021 at 7:59 am

    Thank you very much Bill, I will keep that in mind. Silicia is the most likely thing I can get. It’s on my radar :)

  • raiyana

    Member
    July 8, 2021 at 3:24 pm

    you might wanna add 2% niacinamide for claims.
    https://doi.org/10.1080/14764170600717704

    although i agree, it’s the choices of emollients, emulsifiers and fatty alcohols play the most important part to make the final product feels matte to the touch.

  • Formulator

    Member
    July 8, 2021 at 9:44 pm

    In addition to already mentioned powders, choosing emollients with lower refractive index will help as well. For example, cyclopentasiloxane or methyl trimethicone.

  • Graillotion

    Member
    July 9, 2021 at 2:31 am

    raiyana said:

    you might wanna add 2% niacinamide for claims.
    https://doi.org/10.1080/14764170600717704

    Are you saying that niacinamide reduces shine?

  • DrJekyll

    Member
    July 9, 2021 at 2:49 pm

    raiyana said:

    …you might wanna add 2% niacinamide for claims.
    https://doi.org/10.1080/14764170600717704

    interesting thought… It absorbs sebum and aids in a more matt look that way… Not an ideal choice for a dry skin I suppose though. I once reacted to niacinamide (via oral). So it’s not for me… Thanks anyway

    @F@Formulator: thanks, I might want to look into those emoilents as well. See what it’s like…

    I am having a hard time finding actives/ingredients/chemicals actually. I live in Europe (I am Dutch). I can source stuff much easier in the US via internet, no problem. Especially the more synthetic ingredients seem to be harder in Europe. Not as much variety also…

  • Formulator

    Member
    July 9, 2021 at 3:02 pm

    DrJekyll said: 

    @F@Formulator: thanks, I might want to look into those emoilents as well. See what it’s like…

    I am having a hard time finding actives/ingredients/chemicals actually. I live in Europe (I am Dutch). I can source stuff much easier in the US via internet, no problem. Especially the more synthetic ingredients seem to be harder in Europe. Not as much variety also…

    @DrJ@DrJekyll

    Check this Italian supplier, they should have everything you need: https://www.glamourcosmetics.it/gb/

    They deliver all over Europe.

  • DrJekyll

    Member
    July 9, 2021 at 4:06 pm

    Wow, thanks. That is exactly what I was looking for :):):)

  • Microformulation

    Member
    July 9, 2021 at 4:22 pm

    There are so many mattifying additives that this post has missed. If you search the Cosmetic Raw Material databases you will find many. Recently we used this;

  • Microformulation

    Member
    July 9, 2021 at 4:23 pm
  • DrJekyll

    Member
    July 9, 2021 at 5:22 pm

    @Microformulation: I might have to start a company just to be able to get the ingredients I otherwise can’t buy. Madness ;). luckily I actually like the hunting

  • Microformulation

    Member
    July 9, 2021 at 5:31 pm

    Never “start” a company just to get samples. It makes it harder for the rest of us, and the companies participate so they can sell product.

  • raiyana

    Member
    July 9, 2021 at 6:37 pm

    Are you saying that niacinamide reduces shine?

    i’m only saying that it might be good for claim. a lot of times niacinamide is being marketed to reduce facial sebum, and other benefits like help visibly minimize enlarged pores, improve uneven skin tone, soften fine lines and wrinkles, diminish dullness, and strengthen the skin. in the skincare world (at least from consumers perspective), the benefits of niacinamide are endless.. there’s nothing niacinamide cannot do  :)

  • DrJekyll

    Member
    July 9, 2021 at 7:30 pm

    Never “start” a company just to get samples. It makes it harder for the rest of us, and the companies participate so they can sell product.

    Don’t worry I wasn’t serious

    but please don’t post any more additives I can’t get or I might resort to it ;) (no, I am not serious, just kidding)

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