Home Cosmetic Science Talk Formulating Water-based Moisturizer formula

  • Water-based Moisturizer formula

    Posted by Rimshah on July 19, 2019 at 1:39 pm

    Could you please review my formula and correct it if needed? Also suggest me occlusive for my oil free water-based Moisturizer. Thank you!

    75g distilled water
    4g aloevera gel 
    3g hyaluronic acid
    2g Panthenol
    6g niacinamide
    5g occlusive (help needed)
    1g allantoin 
    2.5g xanthun gum
    1.5g K712 preservative
    I added niacinamide to heal acne and blemishes. 

    Rimshah replied 4 years, 9 months ago 2 Members · 19 Replies
  • 19 Replies
  • ngarayeva001

    Member
    July 19, 2019 at 1:56 pm
    75g distilled water
    4g aloevera gel - it doesn’t do anything. Remove it.
    3g hyaluronic acid - what molecular weight is it? If it’s regular HMW you are going to get a sticky mess. If it’s ULMW it is going to be outrageously expensive. Why is it here? Is it a thickener or a humectant in this formula?
    2g Panthenol - sticky and doesn’t do anything. If you want to keep it, reduce to 0.2%.
    6g niacinamide - ok
    5g occlusive (help needed) - you are either making a moisturiser or a serum. this is a formula for a serum, so you don’t need anything “occlusive”. Or rewrite all of as w/o emulsion.
    1g allantoin - allantoin doesn’t dissolve in water above 0.5%. And it’s heat sensitive, if you were hoping to dissolve by heating your water phase.
    2.5g xanthun gum - It’s an enormous amount. It will make a bad glue not a serum. Especially if that hyaluronic is HMW. 0.5% max.
    1.5g K712 preservative - ok.

    You are missing a humectant. To keep it simple add 2% of glycerin. Sodium Lactate or Sodium PCA are good options as well (don’t up more than 2% or it will be sticky). I would suggest glycols, but looking at your preservative I suspect you want it to be “natural”. 

  • Rimshah

    Member
    July 19, 2019 at 2:56 pm

    I was using hyaluronic as a humectant. I had glycerin in my mind also but thought it may work well as many moisturizers include this ingredient instead of glycerin, specially anti-aging serums. Thanks for your suggestion I will use glycerine instead. 

    Okay I would skip Panthenol too, I don’t want to add zero-benefit ingredients. But I am curious, aloevera and Panthenol provide benefit individually, why these are not beneficial in this formula? 

    As Occlusive builds a layer on the skin and prevents dehydration which may occur due to humectant in dry climate, so I need to use it my formula. Your suggestion will be greatly appreciated.

    I was adding allantoin to remove blemishes only, I think niacinamide would work fine so I may slip it also.

    I was planning to make a Moisturizer instead of a serum that’s why I added huge amount of it. But 
    I assume due to absence of carrier oils it’s not possible. I am fine with the serum also so I will reduce the amount of xanthun gum, thanks. 

    Yeah you guessed right, I want to make a natural product. 

  • ngarayeva001

    Member
    July 19, 2019 at 3:16 pm

    I haven’t seen any evidence that aloe vera or panthenol have noticeable skin benefits. If you have a study that proves me wrong, will be happy to read and change my mind.
    I didn’t say allantoin is a bad ingredient. You just won’t be able to dissolve much.
    Hyaluronic acid is not any special. It’s just an overpriced humectant. You can get the same result with a right combination of other humectants.

    Regarding your formula, it looks like a serum. A moisturisers are emulsions in most cases. To make an emulsion you need water, oil and emulsifier.

    You can make a serum and layer a moisturiser on the top. This approach is actually preferred by many.

  • Rimshah

    Member
    July 19, 2019 at 3:35 pm

    I don’t have any scientific proof, I was talking out of my experience only. I didn’t know it wouldn’t work for everyone, thanks for informing.

    What do you think niacinamide alone will work great or addition of allantoin will make a huge difference? 

    Oh I got it now, would use glycerin.

    There are oil free moisturizers or gels available in the market for oily skin. For example, neutrogena hydro boost water gel. I guess this product contains dimethicone as an occlusive and it also has carbomer. 

    Should I use 2% carbomer instead of xanthun gum to make gel form? And Do you know any natural or non-toxic synthetic occlusive to add because I don’t want to skip it?

  • ngarayeva001

    Member
    July 19, 2019 at 4:20 pm

    There are some evidence that Niacinamide works. I need to lookup allantoin.
    Can you share list of ingredients for the neutrogena product you are referring to?

    regarding carbomer, I personally like it much better than xanthan but it’s not natural. Regarding 2% it’s too high. Have a look which one you have. They all are different and require different amounts to achieve the same viscosity.

  • Rimshah

    Member
    July 19, 2019 at 5:06 pm

    I prefer natural ingredients, but if there is any non toxic synthetic ingredient is available which is more beneficial than natural one I will go for it.

    Here is the ingredients list:
    Water, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Dimethicone/vinyl Dimenticone Crosspolymer, Phenoxyethaqnol, Polyacrylamide, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Dimethiconol, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Chlorphenesin, Carbomer, Laureth-7, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Fragrance, C12-14 Pareth -12, Sodium Hydroxide, Blue 1

  • ngarayeva001

    Member
    July 19, 2019 at 5:51 pm

    Looks like it’s emulsified with Sepigel 305 and Olivem 1000. If you can find Sepigel 305 you can try to make it.
    Dimethicone/vinyl Dimenticone Crosspolymer can be found on lotioncrafter.

  • ngarayeva001

    Member
    July 19, 2019 at 5:51 pm

    And by the way there are no toxic cosmetic ingredients. They all are safe. Including parabens and petrolatum 

  • Rimshah

    Member
    July 19, 2019 at 9:12 pm

    Okay, I will use sepigel if I find. I don’t wanna use dimethicone as it clogs pores, I am making moisturizer for acne prone skin. 

    I am thinking to use Shea butter as an occlusive with Amazonian clay to absorb the oil. What do you think if I use 1g each? 

  • ngarayeva001

    Member
    July 19, 2019 at 10:04 pm

    Can you please share the paper that states that dimethicone clogs pores? 

  • ngarayeva001

    Member
    July 19, 2019 at 10:05 pm

    Clay isn’t used for this purpose. Use silica microspheres.

  • Rimshah

    Member
    July 20, 2019 at 5:08 am

    I know there is not any scientific proof which shows dimethicone is pore clogging. As it measures 1 on comedogenic scale, I want to avoid it. 

  • Rimshah

    Member
    July 20, 2019 at 5:20 am

    I have silica in my mind also. I am wondering if there is such good alternative, otherwise I would use it. 1g silica would work work? Colloidal silicon dioxide and Powdered silica would give the same result?

    I have seen products using kaolin and oats kernel flour, these are just market labels or literally absorbs skin oil?

  • ngarayeva001

    Member
    July 20, 2019 at 6:22 am

    Comedogenic scale assumes ingredient is used in pure form and the tests were performed on rabbits’ ears which are quite different from human skin. Also 1 is low. I don’t think you can find a lot of materials with lower rating.

  • Rimshah

    Member
    July 20, 2019 at 7:04 am

    Oh new information for me, thank you :)

  • Rimshah

    Member
    July 20, 2019 at 7:05 am
    85g distilled water
    2g glycerin
    6g niacinamide 
    1g Shea butter
    1g Silica
    1g isoamyl laurate/lexfeel n50
    0.5g carbomer or xanthun gum
    1.5g K712 preservative

    Kindly review this final product. 

  • ngarayeva001

    Member
    July 20, 2019 at 9:03 am

    Where’s your emulsifier? Water and oil don’t mix. I think you spend too much time on analyzing it. Go to the lab, touch materials. Rub emollients between your fingers to see how they feel. Run the formula, then go back to your laptop to analyze what went wrong and what can be done better. Formulating is 70% lab work.

  • ngarayeva001

    Member
    July 20, 2019 at 9:05 am

    Ok, the last one, carbomers (except for sodium carbomer) require neutralization to form gel network. Either TEA or NaOH. And make sure the final pH isn’t above 7

  • Rimshah

    Member
    July 20, 2019 at 9:59 am

    Okay got it .. thank you so much :)

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